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Improve economic vitality of businesses and individuals

Indicator 1: Increase percentage of people employed

Measure b: Total Employment

Description:

Total Nonagricultural Employment
(seasonally adjusted)

Employment is the total number of persons on establishment payrolls employed full or part time who received pay for any part of the pay period that includes the 12th day of the month. Temporary and intermittent employees are included, as are any workers who are on paid sick leave, on paid holiday, or who work during only part of the specified pay period. Data exclude proprietors, self-employed, unpaid family or volunteer workers, farm workers, and domestic workers.

Nonfarm job growth is an indicator of the expansion in the economy. That expansion represents the increase in employment opportunities available to Washington's workers. In this particular instance, job growth is tracked from month to month in an effort so determine whether the nonfarm economy is performing as expected.

This graph depicts the total nonfarm employment (seasonally adjusted) and jobs added in Washington since January 2005. From January of 2005 to January of 2008, nonfarm employment in the State of Washington grew by 220,100 jobs; the number of jobs has grown at a faster pace than predicted at the beginning of this period (as is depicted by the blue line).

Total Monthly Non-farm Employment in Washington: January 2005 – April 2008 Total
Jan-05
2,738,800
Feb-05
2,741,400
Mar-05
2,752,000
Apr-05
2,763,300
May-05
2,767,100
Jun-05
2,771,600
Jul-05
2,783,500
Aug-05
2,789,800
Sep-05
2,782,800
Oct-05
2,799,800
Nov-05
2,810,800
Dec-05
2,823,000
Jan-06
2,828,200
Feb-06
2,834,300
Mar-06
2,839,300
Apr-06
2,841,000
May-06
2,849,600
Jun-06
2,863,300
Jul-06
2,859,100
Aug-06
2,869,400
Sep-06
2,875,900
Oct-06
2,876,700
Nov-06
2,882,800
Dec-06
2,890,800
Jan-07
2,897,200
Feb-07
2,912,500
Mar-07
2,914,300
Apr-07
2,916,000
May-07
2,923,100
Jun-07
2,931,900
Jul-07
2,938,200
Aug-07
2,940,900
Sep-07
2,939,400
Oct-07
2,948,200
Nov-07
2,958,200
Dec-07
2,960,300
Jan-08
2,965,400
Feb-08
2966400
Mar-08
2964100
Apr-08
2962300
May-08
Jun-08
Jul-08
Aug-08
Sep-08
Oct-08
Nov-08
Dec-08

Source:

Employment Security Department - Labor Market and Economic Analysis

Related information:

U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics