SC

SCDEW Facing Budget Deficit

Despite three rounds of layoffs over the last six months, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) is still hemorrhaging taxpayer cash. In fact sources at the agency tell FITS another round of staffing cuts is coming as the agency seeks to address a large budget deficit….

Despite three rounds of layoffs over the last six months, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) is still hemorrhaging taxpayer cash. In fact sources at the agency tell FITS another round of staffing cuts is coming as the agency seeks to address a large budget deficit.

How large? Our sources say SCDEW is currently facing a shortfall of as much as $7 million for the current fiscal year – a figure that’s likely to get higher before the end of the fiscal year (three months from now).

So … will the agency cut its golf outings or beach retreats as a result of this news?

Perhaps. SCDEW’s embattled director Abraham Turner resigned his post at the agency earlier this year – and a search is currently underway to find his replacement.

Under Turner, SCDEW was an unmitigated disaster. Just last year, the agency doled out $54.5 million in “improper claims,” according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). In fact over the last three years the agency has an improper payment rate of 14.7 percent – one of the highest in the nation.

Who’s picking up the tab for this incompetence? South Carolina businesses and taxpayers.

As we’ve noted on previous occasions we have no problem with SCDEW cutting jobs. The more the merrier as far as we’re concerned. The real problem is the number of unemployed South Carolinians receiving jobless benefits – and the massive debt our state still owes the federal government for those benefits.

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18 comments

Kay March 28, 2013 at 8:35 pm

Wonder where the cut will come from: county offices or those directors who recently received pay raises (as much as 6%)? Who will be left to provide services to those applying for benefits/and looking for jobs? Want to guess????

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disqus_OB66sCjlfJ March 31, 2013 at 11:52 am

Yea and since the unemployment rate is not high enough lets lay off some more

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Kay March 28, 2013 at 8:35 pm

Wonder where the cut will come from: county offices or those directors who recently received pay raises (as much as 6%)? Who will be left to provide services to those applying for benefits/and looking for jobs? Want to guess????

Reply
disqus_OB66sCjlfJ March 31, 2013 at 11:52 am

Yea and since the unemployment rate is not high enough lets lay off some more

Reply
? March 28, 2013 at 9:55 pm

Two words: Systemic unemployment.

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? March 28, 2013 at 9:55 pm

Two words: Systemic unemployment.

Reply
Smirks March 28, 2013 at 10:49 pm

Wait, we were going to rebate the taxpayers for those layoffs and cut programs, remember? That deficit should be higher.

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Smirks March 28, 2013 at 10:49 pm

Wait, we were going to rebate the taxpayers for those layoffs and cut programs, remember? That deficit should be higher.

Reply
Toodumbtolive March 29, 2013 at 12:20 am

Shocking. A federally funded agency has a deficit. Because Confress has balanced the budget and everyone knows that Congress is just giving away $$ right now

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Toodumbtolive March 29, 2013 at 12:20 am

Shocking. A federally funded agency has a deficit. Because Confress has balanced the budget and everyone knows that Congress is just giving away $$ right now

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%#&*! March 29, 2013 at 7:31 pm

Everyone in the field will be laid off and forced to reaply for new positions within the Agency. SCDEW is unable to pay it’s bills due to fiscal mismanagement…Where is the oversight? The LAC? The Gov’s Office? The SC Legislature? USDOL? There is none. The shortfall is closer to $8 million and it’s not all due to less funding from DOL – due to lower unemployment numbers.

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Button March 31, 2013 at 7:11 pm

Sic Will you need to get on this…this could be your Pulitzer moment. You’ve only scratched the surface. Keeping tugging at the loose thread. There is more to come…

Reply
%#&*! March 29, 2013 at 7:31 pm

Everyone in the field will be laid off and forced to reaply for new positions within the Agency. SCDEW is unable to pay it’s bills due to fiscal mismanagement…Where is the oversight? The LAC? The Gov’s Office? The SC Legislature? USDOL? There is none. The shortfall is closer to $8 million and it’s not all due to less funding from DOL – due to lower unemployment numbers.

Reply
Button March 31, 2013 at 7:11 pm

Sic Will you need to get on this…this could be your Pulitzer moment. You’ve only scratched the surface. Keeping tugging at the loose thread. There is more to come…

Reply
disqus_OB66sCjlfJ March 31, 2013 at 11:50 am

So the employees had to take a certification test, that wasn’t good enough so they made it harder to weed people out. Now they are going to lay off the local offices and they have to reapply? Why would you cut the local office jobs they make $26,000 a yr, why not cut the main office they sit on the behind s all day and make $70,000 or more. All the local office workers should walk out, since they are not valued and see what the main office does then.

Reply
SCDEW April 6, 2013 at 4:11 pm

Dennis King, Assist. Exec. Director at SCDEW, has a conference call this week
with office managers lettin them know a little of what is coming. He tells them to tell their staff. The next day he holds a second conference call and screams that office managers emaild State Legislators and told them whats goin on. King then threatens the mamagers that he will use whatever resources he has to to find out who talked to the legislature and it will not be a good day for them.
1- At this point, anyone in SCDEW knew what was goin on and could have emaild and
2- How can a agency that has 7 million dollars deficit afford to waste resources on petty vindictiveness?

Reply
disqus_OB66sCjlfJ March 31, 2013 at 11:50 am

So the employees had to take a certification test, that wasn’t good enough so they made it harder to weed people out. Now they are going to lay off the local offices and they have to reapply? Why would you cut the local office jobs they make $26,000 a yr, why not cut the main office they sit on the behind s all day and make $70,000 or more. All the local office workers should walk out, since they are not valued and see what the main office does then.

Reply
SCDEW April 6, 2013 at 4:11 pm

Dennis King, Assist. Exec. Director at SCDEW, has a conference call this week
with office managers lettin them know a little of what is coming. He tells them to tell their staff. The next day he holds a second conference call and screams that office managers emaild State Legislators and told them whats goin on. King then threatens the mamagers that he will use whatever resources he has to to find out who talked to the legislature and it will not be a good day for them.
1- At this point, anyone in SCDEW knew what was goin on and could have emaild and
2- How can a agency that has 7 million dollars deficit afford to waste resources on petty vindictiveness?

Reply

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