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House wants to force restoration of in-person help

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina House members want to force the state's unemployment agency to restore and expand in-person help at 17 rural offices.

A budget amendment approved Monday separated $1.5 million of the agency's federal money onto a separate line.

Democratic Rep. Ted Vick of Chesterfield says he will offer a second amendment Tuesday directing the agency to resume the face-to-face help with unemployment benefits that ended Feb. 15.

Vick's amendments would also more than triple the offices' former work force.

Agency officials have said only 7 of the 17 rural offices offered help with jobless benefits five days a week. The eight jobs eliminated cut roughly $400,000 from the agency's budget.

Sixty-seven other positions were cut.

Legislative outrage over the consolidation culminated with the resignation of agency director Abraham Turner.

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