Author: South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce
This article originally appeared in the Fall 2025 issue of the South Carolina CPA Report
Periodic reviews ensure timely correspondence with DEW to meet ongoing requirements.
Did you know out-of-date contact information can cost employers money? It could also cost Third Party Administrators (TPAs) clients. Timely updates to your firm’s contact list with the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) — such as the addition of new clients, removal of former clients, and selecting your preferred communication method — facilitate effective communication and prevent missed deadlines.
Frequent turnover of your key staff members or even temporary leaves of absence, for reasons such as medical, military, or family-care needs, can result in disruption of correspondence related to important processes. Therefore, it is recommended for employers to log in to the SUITS and ESS systems at least quarterly to update any contacts so that no payments or responses are submitted after a deadline. TPAs should also schedule a quarterly review of roles and responsibilities of their own staff, as well as the employer’s staff and leadership, to confirm who is responsible for each required process.
Importantly, DEW provides three online systems for employers and TPAs to interact with the agency.
One is DEW’s employer tax portal, the State Unemployment Insurance Tax System (SUITS), which is used for employers’ Unemployment Insurance (UI) tax processes such as quarterly wage reports, tax payments, and related correspondence. To review and update the contact fields in SUITS, go to uitax.dew.sc.gov.
Need more help? Watch this easy-to-follow video which shows how to maintain your account at bit.ly/4np3fP4. You may also access a PDF with step-by-step instructions at www.dew.sc.gov/employers/suits. Under SUITS FAQ, click on the accordion titled, “How do I add or modify contact information?”
The second system is the Employer Self Service Portal (ESS), through which an employer communicates with DEW about UI benefits paid to employees or former employees. To review and update these fields in ESS go to scuihub.dew.sc.gov/ESS. To update benefits communication method preferences, employers must submit updates via the SUITS portal at uitax.dew.sc.gov and click the Account Maintenance then Employer Maintenance from the home screen.
Finally, you can use a third option, the State Information Data Exchange System (SIDES) to respond to UI requests and improve the UI information exchange process nationwide. Find out more at info.uisides.org.
Create a recurring calendar reminder today to check contact information in DEW’s systems and avoid process delays and penalties. This small step will save time and effort in the long run.
