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Director Stanton tells committee she rebuilt UI system, reports $590M trust-fund reserve
Summary
Cheryl Stanton, director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, told the Labor, Commerce and Industry committee the agency paid off federal debt and held a trust-fund balance of over $590 million as of April 30, while emphasizing workforce initiatives that placed hundreds of thousands into work.
Cheryl Stanton, director of the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, opened a joint Labor, Commerce and Industry committee review by saying the agency had paid off its federal unemployment-insurance debt and, as of April 30, held "a reserve as of April 30 of over $590,000,000 in the trust fund balance." Stanton said that the agency had also focused on workforce programs that put more than 400,000 South Carolinians to work over a recent three-year period.
Stanton told lawmakers the agency had stabilized benefits delivery and reduced erroneous payments while improving detection and recovery of overpayments. "This is not just my work. This is the work of a lot of very, very hardworking employees of the Department of Employment and Workforce," she said, introducing senior staff and program leads on the record. She described internal cultural changes, staff training and new business-facing practices intended to improve customer service and program outcomes.
Members questioned her about ongoing challenges: staffing turnover, coordination with local workforce boards, and how the department balances service delivery with IT modernization. Stanton said she tracks weekly metrics — initial claims and benefit payouts — and will alert legislators and employers if trends threaten the trust fund. The committee concluded without a formal vote on the director's performance review; members thanked Stanton and adjourned.
