South Carolina unemployment eligibility comes down to three tests: you earned enough in the base period, you lost the job through no fault of your own, and you are able to work, available for work and looking for it every week.
This guide gives the South Carolina unemployment eligibility rules as the state writes them — the earnings test, what counts as misconduct, what counts as good cause to quit, and how many job contacts a week — so you know before you file whether a denial is likely and why. Verified against South Carolina sources as of October 2026.
South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility at a Glance
| Earnings test | South Carolina generally requires three things in the base period: at least 1092 in covered wages in your highest-earning quarter, at least 4455 in total… |
| Base period | The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim’s effective date. |
| Able and available | You must be physically and mentally able to work, available to start right away, and willing to accept suitable work. |
| Work search | DEW generally requires at least 2 job searches every week. |
| Fired | S.C. |
| Quit | Quitting without good cause connected with the work disqualifies you under S.C. Code § 41-35-120(1). |
| Part-time | Yes. |
In This South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility Guide:
The Three South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility Tests
Every South Carolina unemployment eligibility decision applies the same three tests, in this order.
Earnings: South Carolina generally requires three things in the base period: at least 1092 in covered wages in your highest-earning quarter, at least 4455 in total covered wages, and total wages of at least 1.5 times your high-quarter wages. These are the figures the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) currently publishes, and DEW updates them over time. The test is in S.C. Code § 41-35-110.
Confirm the current figures with DEW.
Separation: you were laid off, let go without disqualifying misconduct, or quit with good cause as South Carolina defines it. This is the test most denials turn on.
Able, available and searching: You must be physically and mentally able to work, available to start right away, and willing to accept suitable work. DEW generally expects claimants to look for full-time work. Under Regulation 47-3, if most of your base-period weeks (51% or more) were part-time work of 29 hours or less, you may limit your search to part-time work.
You would then need to be available for about as many hours as your most recent part-time job.
South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility Rules at a Glance
The short version of every South Carolina unemployment eligibility rule is below; each one is explained in full in the sections that follow.
| Monetary (earnings) test | South Carolina generally requires three things in the base period: at least 1092 in covered wages in your highest-earning quarter, at least 4455 in total covered wages, and total wages of at least 1.5 times your… |
| Base period | The standard base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim’s effective date. South Carolina also has an alternate base period: the four most recently completed quarters. |
| Able and available | You must be physically and mentally able to work, available to start right away, and willing to accept suitable work. DEW generally expects claimants to look for full-time work. |
| Work search | DEW generally requires at least 2 job searches every week. You complete and record them in the SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) portal, and only searches done through SCWOS count. |
| Fired | S.C. Code § 41-35-120(2) limits “misconduct” to conduct that shows a wilful and wanton disregard of the employer’s interests, such as deliberately breaking the employer’s rules. |
| Quit | Quitting without good cause connected with the work disqualifies you under S.C. Code § 41-35-120(1). |
| Part-time or reduced hours | Yes. You may qualify for partial benefits if your hours were cut below full time (30 hours a week) and you earn less than your weekly benefit amount. |
| Self-employed / gig | Self-employed, gig and 1099 workers generally cannot claim regular state benefits in South Carolina, because benefits are based on wages from covered employment. |
| In school or training | Going to school can affect eligibility, because DEW generally expects claimants to be available for and seeking full-time work. |
| Disqualification length | For a quit without good cause, you are generally ineligible until you find new covered work and earn at least 8 times your weekly benefit amount (S.C. Code § 41-35-120(1)). |
South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility If You Were Fired
S.C. Code § 41-35-120(2) limits “misconduct” to conduct that shows a wilful and wanton disregard of the employer’s interests, such as deliberately breaking the employer’s rules. Poor performance because you could not do the job generally is not misconduct. Regulation 47-100 adds a lesser category, “cause other than misconduct,” for conduct with some fault but no deliberate disregard. That category leads to only a partial disqualification.
South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility If You Quit
Quitting without good cause connected with the work disqualifies you under S.C. Code § 41-35-120(1). Legal-aid guides list these examples of reasons that may count: unsafe working conditions the employer would not fix, racial or sexual harassment, a large pay cut or major change in hours, and a breach of your employment agreement. Two exceptions exist: following a military spouse’s transfer, and leaving because of domestic abuse.
Quitting only because you were unhappy with the pay, or without first trying other options, is generally rejected.
How long a disqualification lasts. For a quit without good cause, you are generally ineligible until you find new covered work and earn at least 8 times your weekly benefit amount (S.C. Code § 41-35-120(1)). For misconduct, DEW sets a penalty of 5 to 19 weeks plus the waiting week, based on how serious the cause was. Your total benefits are reduced by those weeks.
Gross misconduct requires re-earning 8 times your weekly benefit amount. Confirm with DEW.
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South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility If You Were Laid Off
A layoff, a plant closing or a reduction in force is the clearest qualifying separation in South Carolina. A recall date does not stop you from filing; report it and keep certifying.
South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility for Part-Time, Gig and Self-Employed Workers
Part-time or reduced hours. Yes. You may qualify for partial benefits if your hours were cut below full time (30 hours a week) and you earn less than your weekly benefit amount. You must report all work and wages for each week you claim. Legal-aid sources say earnings up to one-quarter of your weekly benefit amount are not deducted; confirm with DEW.
Self-employed, gig and 1099 work. Self-employed, gig and 1099 workers generally cannot claim regular state benefits in South Carolina, because benefits are based on wages from covered employment. The pandemic-era federal program for these workers has ended. No current state exception could be verified. If you had both W-2 and 1099 income, any covered W-2 wages may still count. Confirm with DEW.
In school or training. Going to school can affect eligibility, because DEW generally expects claimants to be available for and seeking full-time work. If you are in UI-approved training, such as approved short-term programs at state technical colleges, the availability and work-search requirements may be waived while you make satisfactory progress. Ask DEW whether your program is approved before you enroll.
South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility Work Search Rules
DEW generally requires at least 2 job searches every week. You complete and record them in the SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) portal, and only searches done through SCWOS count. You may be excused if you are in UI-approved training, or if your employer filed the claim for you because you are on a temporary layoff (a job-attached claim). Confirm your status with DEW.
Reading Your South Carolina Determination Letters
Every South Carolina unemployment eligibility decision arrives as a letter, and the letter tells you what was decided and how long you have to appeal it. You will receive a monetary determination (your wages and weekly amount) and, if there is a separation issue, an eligibility determination. Check the wages listed, the employers listed and the appeal deadline on each one.
Other South Carolina Unemployment Eligibility Rules to Know
South Carolina has an unpaid waiting week: the first eligible week is served before any benefits are paid. Only job searches completed through SCWOS count toward the 2-per-week requirement. Employers can file claims for job-attached workers during temporary layoffs.
Next step: if you qualify, file in the first week after your last day — our South Carolina application guide lists the documents and the steps. If you were denied, the appeal guide has the deadline.
South Carolina — the bottom line
- South carolina unemployment eligibility turns on three tests: enough wages, a qualifying separation, and being able, available and searching.
- Most South Carolina unemployment eligibility denials are about the separation reason — fired for misconduct or quit without good cause, as the state defines both.
- A disqualification is not always permanent; the South Carolina unemployment eligibility rules let you requalify after new covered work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get unemployment in South Carolina if I was fired?
Under the South Carolina unemployment eligibility rules, usually yes if you were let go for performance, attendance you could not control, or not being a fit — no if the state finds disqualifying misconduct. S.C. Code § 41-35-120(2) limits “misconduct” to conduct that shows a wilful and wanton disregard of the employer’s interests, such as deliberately breaking the employer’s rules.
Can I get unemployment in South Carolina if I quit?
Only with good cause as the state defines it. Quitting without good cause connected with the work disqualifies you under S.C. Code § 41-35-120(1).
How many jobs do I have to apply for each week in South Carolina?
DEW generally requires at least 2 job searches every week. You complete and record them in the SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) portal, and only searches done through SCWOS count.
Can part-time workers claim unemployment in South Carolina?
Yes. You may qualify for partial benefits if your hours were cut below full time (30 hours a week) and you earn less than your weekly benefit amount.
Official South Carolina Sources & Resources
- South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW): https://dew.sc.gov/individuals/apply-for-benefits
- South Carolina unemployment statute (S.C. Code 41-27 to 41-41): https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t41c035.php
- U.S. Department of Labor — Unemployment Insurance: dol.gov
This South Carolina unemployment eligibility guide was last verified against official South Carolina sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
More South Carolina Unemployment Guides
- South Carolina Unemployment Benefits: How Much and How Long
- How to Apply for Unemployment in South Carolina
- South Carolina Unemployment Appeal: Deadline and Hearing
- Unemployment Guides for All 50 States
Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Unemployment benefit amounts, deadlines and rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current figure and any deadline with your state unemployment agency before you act.