Dismissal upheld in S.C. lawsuit over unemployment benefits

COLUMBIA (AP) — The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a lawsuit against Gov. Henry McMaster over his early exit from federal unemployment programs providing extra money to residents during the pandemic.
The unanimous opinion upheld State Circuit Judge Lawton McIntosh's August dismissal of the suit brought by four jobless South Carolinians.
The unemployed workers had asked a judge to require state officials to rejoin the programs after McMaster ordered the state's workforce agency to opt out at the end of June. The extra benefits were scheduled to run through early September and included an extra weekly $300 to unemployed workers.
The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce estimated jobless residents would lose out on about $585.3 million in additional federal benefits.
McMaster had cited a workforce shortage he claimed was due in large part to the supplemental federal payments.