SC

SC Jobless Agency To Lay Off Workers

ISN’T IT IRONIC … DON’T YA THINK? The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) is laying off fifty-five employees this week, sources at the agency tell FITS.  Now … are these the same employees who haven’t been answering their phones?  No clue … the agency’s public relations office never…

ISN’T IT IRONIC … DON’T YA THINK?

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) is laying off fifty-five employees this week, sources at the agency tell FITS.  Now … are these the same employees who haven’t been answering their phones?  No clue … the agency’s public relations office never returns our calls.

Again … ironic, isn’t it? (Yeah we really do think).

One of the most wasteful, incompetent agencies in all of state government, SCDEW has been literally one disaster after another since Gov. Nikki Haley appointed retired U.S. Army General Abraham Turner as its director last year.  SCDEW has consistently been among the most inefficient and ineffective agencies in Haley’s administration – a massive cost that keeps being passed on to South Carolina businesses and taxpayers.  In fact SCDEW’s chronic failure has been exposed this year via a state auditfederal warning and a legislative study.

The response of the agency’s leadership?  Taxpayer-funded hobnobbing … and more hobnobbing.

Oh and now they’re going to fire some people …

“General Abraham Turner dropped a bomb at his monthly town hall meeting,” an email from one of our moles at the agency reads. “(SCDEW) will notify 55 staff next Wednesday, October 17,2012 that they will be laid off.  Also, General Turner said DEW will be offering up to $25,000 in serverance (sic) pay depending on the number of years of service.”

Hmmmm … will they be firing the upper level finance guy who ordered the infamous “door to nowhere,” too?

Don’t count on it …

SCDEW administers federal unemployment benefits and releases monthly employment data for the state.  It currently employs roughly 1,200 people.  Its services were supposed to be a central component of Haley’s “jobs” plan for our state, but data shows that people who avail themselves of SCDEW’s services actually take longer to find work than people who don’t.

Once again … conclusive proof that government has no business in the job placement business.

UPDATE: According to the Associated Press, SCDEW is actually laying off 130 positions – more than twice the number we were provided.  Those positions are at offices all over the state, the wire service is reporting.

UPDATE II: Actually it’s 136 lost jobs, according to an agency press release

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34 comments

notagain October 15, 2012 at 7:01 am

Let’s see, this is a cabinet agency, right? As a cabinet agency we are supposed to know who is responsible for its performance, right? It is obvious over the past several years that this agency is failing to perform, right? Then why aren’t we holding Ms. Haley responsible? And there are those who want to give her even more power? Why? Apparently giving governors more power does nothing to improve government or we would see some sign of progress here. The very best arguments against restructuring in any way that gives the governor more power: Beasley, Hodges, Sanford, Haley. Need we say more?

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Smirks October 15, 2012 at 8:54 am

Then why aren’t we holding Ms. Haley responsible?

Because SC doesn’t tend to hold any of its politicians accountable for anything.

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Wow October 15, 2012 at 8:04 am

This agency cant place out of work SC residents what makes them think they can place their own?
Why the hell do they need to lay these people off? Why not transfer them to openings in other agencies thereby saving the taxpayer funded “severance” pay? It fills an already existing job opening.

What they NEED to do is either teach the employees “selecting” candidates to do a better job or show THEM the door with no severance.

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Smirks October 15, 2012 at 8:56 am

Why not transfer them to openings in other agencies thereby saving the taxpayer funded “severance” pay?

Because the higher-ups are saving those openings for aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, sons, daughters, grandkids, friends, campaign donors, brown-nosers, etc.

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jimlewis,owb October 15, 2012 at 8:05 am

When the Sacrificial 55 are shown the door perhaps they can exit through the damn $5000 door to fucking nowhere.

Remember the 55

Maybe it will catch on like Remember the Maine, or Remember the Alamo or Remember the Governor Loves Y’all.

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FedUp October 15, 2012 at 8:49 am

Unless things have changed, State employees are paid only for time worked. There is no provision for severance pay. But, we should understand, I suppose, by now, that the law only applies these days when the Queen says so…

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semi October 15, 2012 at 9:47 am

At least they weren’t paid commissions per person hired, kinda’ like our staff at the SC Commerce Department who were paid for “supposed” workers employed by new industry.

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The Coast October 15, 2012 at 10:55 am

If this is part of a RIF, they may very well be using a “buyout” option to have the staff resign rather than terminate them. While the employee does not have to take the “buyout,” if they know they are on a RIF list, it may be their best option. These type buyouts are known as “Voluntary Separation Packages” or “Voluntary Retirement Packages,” and are approved by the B&CB.

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THEONEWHOKNOWS THETRUTH October 15, 2012 at 10:11 pm

you ever heard of hush money?

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? October 15, 2012 at 8:50 am

In a just world the SCDEW would have its UI raised and then have to lay off even more people in order to “stay in business”.

The irony of an inefficient gov’t agency that’s responsible for hammering struggling private businesses now handing out $25k severance checks when the companies they hammer could never do the same is a bit too much.

Let’s hope the dear general goes for another motorcycle ride and that his remaining parasites magically sprout a conscience and decide to try to be productive members of society by finding jobs in private industry.

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Other Matters Matter October 15, 2012 at 9:12 am

They just recently cleaned up their posted job data base, too.

Many of the listings were over 12 months old and had been long ago filled. The website is also suppose to link to all over employment data bases. It did about 2 years ago but stopped working soon thereafter.

I feel sorry for those getting laid off. Hopefully they find work somewhere that is organized and is run like it suppose to be.

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Mary October 15, 2012 at 10:57 am

Amazing. Hiring people left and right for created management positions but now are going to layoff in the local offices and areas that are overrun with work. Guess thy had to find some way to pay for the door And spend more money to cover tha affair that is costing money. Another day of bs at dew

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reds October 17, 2012 at 10:47 pm

Well said. Why don’t they get rid of some of those created management positions instead of the people who are doing all the work. This agency used to be run by one executive director and three department heads, now has an executive director, cheif of staff and too many department heads to count, none of which have any knowledge of employment or unemployment……

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oldman October 15, 2012 at 11:14 am

Bitch Haley needs to cut some of her overpaid losers I mean staff.

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NoMoNationalGuardAgencyHeads October 15, 2012 at 11:19 am Reply
neutral observer October 15, 2012 at 9:09 pm

nomo, is your name a reference to Barry Bernstein’s taking over for John Mcintosh?

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Nancy October 15, 2012 at 11:26 am

It’s like a pain, waiting in line
It’s no free ride, to a jobless place
It’s the bad advice, that you just couldn’t take
Does it really make, a difference

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Frank Pytel October 15, 2012 at 12:40 pm

My guess is that FITS will find itself without at least a few moles. To bad really.

Have a Great Day!!

Frank Pytel :)

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BigT October 15, 2012 at 1:03 pm

Haley is cutting gov’t spending…Good job…

Sanford promised and promised…and gov’t just got bigger and bigger…

It’s why we don’t need a liar and cheat for Gov…or president…

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Frank Pytel October 15, 2012 at 1:59 pm

Hey T

Just how much did the sc budget decrease from 2011 to 2012?

Frank Pytel :)

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Smirks October 15, 2012 at 2:44 pm

And how much of the budget did she veto?

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? October 15, 2012 at 2:46 pm

Why are you upsetting his reality? Shouldn’t you be out taking candy from babies or something?

:)

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Jack October 15, 2012 at 9:40 pm

Reducing government…Whatever the rich keep getting richer and the poorer keep getting poorer. What about the Job Developer from DSS and the money DEW RECIEVE from housing them in their ofice when DSs has office space availabilityr. So will that money stay with DEW OR WILL IT BE RETURN BACK TO DSS at the end of the month. So do you believe she reduce government by taking Federal funding from DSS TO FUND DEW.

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LayoffsSuck October 15, 2012 at 7:29 pm

Fits reportedly correctly, “55 this week” with more layoffs coming later on. How many layers of DEW new management has been hired under this administration? How many new hires making well over $60,000 a year will be let go under the RIF? NONE!!!!!!! This really sucks people.

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Deep Throat October 15, 2012 at 8:31 pm

Most of the layoffs are occuring due to the ending of federal extensions called Emergency Unemployment Compensation and Extended Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Like with most reduction in forces, they are letting go those who are on the TERI program, are eligible for retirement, temporary grant positions and lastly, full-time regular employees. Since most of the funds that are expiring are associated with federal grants, most of the positions will impact the local offices. This RIF is more of a result of federal programs ending, versus the governor cutting the size of government. If she wanted to do that, then a number of newly created positions at DEW would not have been created.

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THEONEWHOKNOWS THETRUTH October 15, 2012 at 10:04 pm

WILL BE CONSULTING AN ATTORNEY TOMORROW THEN WILL POST THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT THIS AGENCY AND THE OVERSPENDING, WASTE AND COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR ITS EMPLOYEES. CANT BELIEVE THE GOVERNOR CANT SEE WHAT HAS HAPPEN ? THE GENERAL HAS A CHIEF OF STAFF NEAR A $100,000 AND A DAY PLANNER FOR THE GENERAL AT $70,000 A YEAR TO READ A CALENDAR FOR HIM? HE HAS HIRED MOSTLY ALL EX-MILITARY WITH OUTRAGES SALARIES. THE TRUTH WILL BE TOLD STAY TUNED. BUT PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THEY ARE ARTIST AT COVERING UP. WE ARE NOW RUNNING A STATE AGENCY ON A MILITARY BUDGET THIS WILL BREAK THE TAXPAYERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

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Gdog October 15, 2012 at 11:18 pm

Was at the meeting announcing the lay offs. The best moment was when the “General” was asked if he would have to take a test to be “certified” to keep his position. He lost his shit in a very un-general like manner, attempting to justify why he is exempt (because he is/was a general, God damn it..). The “General” is on auto pilot, just milking a few last years of public service. He does not like to be challenged, and I’m sure if he had his Town Hall to do over, he would have just ignored the question, and remained calm and in control, like a real general, would have done.

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THEONEWHOKNOWS THETRUTH October 16, 2012 at 11:12 pm

THE GENERAL STILL HAS A FEW QUESTIONS TO ANSWER ABOUT THE SPENDING OF HAVING THREE CARS WRAPPED FOR DECALS AT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND ONCE THEY WHERE WRAPPED THEY FOUND OUT THEY CAN ONLY BE HAND WASHED. 3 OF THESE CARS AND VANS HAD OVER 80,000 IF NOT 100,OO0 MILES ON THEM. NOW THEY HAVE TO PAY SOME ONE TO COME TO THE DEPT TO HAND WASH THEM WEEKLY, MR MATT SEXTON NEEDS TO DO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN SIMPLY SAYING YES SIR . ITS OUR MONEY THEY ARE WASTING BY THE TEN OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS . SOMETHING IS WRONG WHEN YOU HAVE TO PUT CARS WASHING OUT ON BIDS FOR A STATE AGENCY WITH FEW CARS. CHECK IN TOMORROW FOR THE NEXT OF MANY WASTE OF OUR MONIES.

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Scuba Steve October 17, 2012 at 7:56 am

Yeah the car wraps were a bad idea. Plus, they don’t even have the website or phone number on them, so if you wanted more information you would be out of luck. Really bad idea. But hey, when you’ve got money to spend or you lose it, this is what happens.

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THEONEWHOKNOWS THETRUTH October 16, 2012 at 11:16 pm

JUST A TID BID CHECK THE RATIO OF PEOPLE BEING HIRED SINCE THE GENERAL BECAME DIRECTOR PERCENTAGE OF BLACK, WHITE AND HISPANIC?

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THEONEWHOKNOWS THETRUTH October 16, 2012 at 11:22 pm

AS I UNDERSTAND HAS A DEGREE IN MUSIC, I ASSUME THIS WAS PLANNED BY THE GOVERNOR SO HE CAN SANG A SAD SONG TO THE CITIZENS OF SOUTH CAROLINA WHEN THEY NO LONGER GET ANY HELP TO PAY THEIR BILLS AND FEED THEIR KIDS WHAT A DISGRACE. HOPE HE SOUNDS LIKE AN ANGEL

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JANE DOE October 17, 2012 at 12:18 pm

But the General has an open door policy as long you don’t have a complaint! Then he doesn’t want to hear it.

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THEONEWHOKNOWS THETRUTH October 22, 2012 at 11:55 pm

he is probably whistling Dixie

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THEONEWHOKNOWS THETRUTH October 23, 2012 at 12:10 am

HE HAS BEEN VERY VERY GOOD AT PUTTING TOGETHER A GROUP OF YES MEN AND WOMEN. THEY ARE ALL SCARED TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FOR FEAR OF LOSING THEIR JOBS. HE HAS TOTALLY RUINED THE LIFE OF DOZENS OF EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE 20 OR BETTER YEARS WORKING THERE THAT NOW HAVE CHILDREN STARTING COLLEGE. THESE PEOPLE CANT BUY BUT 5 YEARS INTO THEIR RETIREMENT AT A COST OF OVER $60,000. NOW THEY ARE OFFERING A FEW $25,000 ON A VSP PROGRAM THAT WILL BE A DRAWING TO DETERMINE WHO GETS THE 20 SLOTS. DOGS AND CATS HAVE THE SPCA THIS PEOPLE HAVE N0-ONE TO DEFEND THEM.

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