Staff Report

Published March 1, 2011

Temporary staffing agencies have a new way to report information on unemployment claimants who do not meet an important requirement for receiving benefits.

The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce this week launched an online portal for agencies to electronically submit details about claimants who have failed to contact the staffing agencies within the last week.

As required by law, South Carolinians who take positions with temporary staffing agencies are not eligible for unemployment benefits at the end of assignments unless they maintain weekly contact with the staffing agency to find out if there are future placements available.

The portal, which can be accessed at http://www.dew.sc.gov/emp-content-online.asp under “Temporary Agencies,” is designed to improve customer service and efficiency. Staffing agencies must notify DEW of any missed contact within seven days of the claim week’s end.

Temporary agencies will use their already assigned Unemployment Insurance account numbers to log in to the system. The secure, online portal asks for basic information about claimants and employers such as name and contact information.

Temporary staffing agencies must notify staff in writing, at the time of hiring, that they must maintain weekly contact. The portal includes a field where agencies submit details of how they let staff know about the weekly contact requirement.