First-time unemployment claims tick back up above 3,000 The number of first-time unemployment claims for the week ending Saturday rose back above 3,000 after dropping below that number for only the third time since the pandemic began. (Source: AP) By Patrick Phillips | May 13, 2021 at 12:36 PM EDT - Updated May 14 at 7:47 AM COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - The number of first-time unemployment claims for the week ending Saturday rose back above 3,000 after dropping below that number for only the third time since the pandemic began. The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce said Thursday morning the total number of claims received last week totaled 3,088, a rise of more than 200 over the previous week’s total of 2,856.