Figure 1. Total nonfarm employment and Employment Trend Index (ETI), 1974–2015
Date	Employment (in thousands)	ETI (2010 = 100)
Jan 1974	78,104	64.42
Feb 1974	78,254	63.47
Mar 1974	78,296	64.27
Apr 1974	78,382	64.51
May 1974	78,547	64.54
Jun 1974	78,602	64.34
Jul 1974	78,635	64.36
Aug 1974	78,619	62.84
Sep 1974	78,611	61.46
Oct 1974	78,629	59.97
Nov 1974	78,261	57.28
Dec 1974	77,657	54.79
Jan 1975	77,297	53.42
Feb 1975	76,919	52.88
Mar 1975	76,649	51.94
Apr 1975	76,461	52.23
May 1975	76,623	52.48
Jun 1975	76,520	53.21
Jul 1975	76,769	54.10
Aug 1975	77,155	54.64
Sep 1975	77,230	55.16
Oct 1975	77,535	55.59
Nov 1975	77,680	55.96
Dec 1975	78,018	56.75
Jan 1976	78,506	57.43
Feb 1976	78,817	58.19
Mar 1976	79,049	58.25
Apr 1976	79,292	58.41
May 1976	79,311	58.43
Jun 1976	79,376	59.07
Jul 1976	79,547	59.12
Aug 1976	79,704	59.23
Sep 1976	79,892	58.91
Oct 1976	79,905	58.24
Nov 1976	80,237	59.20
Dec 1976	80,448	60.35
Jan 1977	80,692	59.88
Feb 1977	80,988	59.96
Mar 1977	81,391	61.76
Apr 1977	81,729	62.13
May 1977	82,089	62.18
Jun 1977	82,488	62.77
Jul 1977	82,836	62.60
Aug 1977	83,074	63.03
Sep 1977	83,532	63.31
Oct 1977	83,794	63.53
Nov 1977	84,173	63.76
Dec 1977	84,408	64.17
Jan 1978	84,595	63.57
Feb 1978	84,948	63.92
Mar 1978	85,461	65.21
Apr 1978	86,163	66.83
May 1978	86,509	67.06
Jun 1978	86,951	67.00
Jul 1978	87,205	66.77
Aug 1978	87,481	67.49
Sep 1978	87,618	67.82
Oct 1978	87,954	68.47
Nov 1978	88,391	68.52
Dec 1978	88,673	69.00
Jan 1979	88,810	67.95
Feb 1979	89,054	67.67
Mar 1979	89,480	68.61
Apr 1979	89,418	66.55
May 1979	89,791	68.36
Jun 1979	90,109	67.30
Jul 1979	90,215	67.10
Aug 1979	90,297	66.78
Sep 1979	90,325	67.27
Oct 1979	90,482	66.87
Nov 1979	90,576	66.22
Dec 1979	90,673	65.88
Jan 1980	90,802	65.97
Feb 1980	90,882	65.36
Mar 1980	90,994	64.13
Apr 1980	90,850	61.04
May 1980	90,419	58.44
Jun 1980	90,099	57.96
Jul 1980	89,837	58.29
Aug 1980	90,097	58.64
Sep 1980	90,210	60.00
Oct 1980	90,491	61.28
Nov 1980	90,748	62.12
Dec 1980	90,943	62.25
Jan 1981	91,037	62.01
Feb 1981	91,105	61.63
Mar 1981	91,210	62.05
Apr 1981	91,283	62.11
May 1981	91,293	61.74
Jun 1981	91,490	61.66
Jul 1981	91,602	61.40
Aug 1981	91,566	61.01
Sep 1981	91,479	59.98
Oct 1981	91,380	58.75
Nov 1981	91,171	58.06
Dec 1981	90,893	56.95
Jan 1982	90,567	56.56
Feb 1982	90,562	56.54
Mar 1982	90,432	55.97
Apr 1982	90,152	54.87
May 1982	90,107	54.66
Jun 1982	89,864	54.14
Jul 1982	89,522	53.72
Aug 1982	89,364	52.96
Sep 1982	89,183	52.45
Oct 1982	88,906	52.12
Nov 1982	88,783	52.41
Dec 1982	88,769	52.60
Jan 1983	88,993	53.90
Feb 1983	88,918	53.79
Mar 1983	89,090	54.86
Apr 1983	89,366	55.51
May 1983	89,643	56.38
Jun 1983	90,022	57.54
Jul 1983	90,440	58.74
Aug 1983	90,132	59.08
Sep 1983	91,247	60.33
Oct 1983	91,518	61.27
Nov 1983	91,871	61.94
Dec 1983	92,227	63.63
Jan 1984	92,673	64.40
Feb 1984	93,154	65.02
Mar 1984	93,429	65.43
Apr 1984	93,792	65.69
May 1984	94,100	66.62
Jun 1984	94,479	66.93
Jul 1984	94,792	67.04
Aug 1984	95,034	67.04
Sep 1984	95,344	66.93
Oct 1984	95,630	66.92
Nov 1984	95,979	67.47
Dec 1984	96,107	67.64
Jan 1985	96,373	68.03
Feb 1985	96,497	68.33
Mar 1985	96,843	68.23
Apr 1985	97,039	68.34
May 1985	97,313	68.40
Jun 1985	97,459	68.55
Jul 1985	97,649	68.94
Aug 1985	97,842	69.10
Sep 1985	98,045	69.26
Oct 1985	98,233	69.34
Nov 1985	98,442	69.90
Dec 1985	98,609	70.32
Jan 1986	98,734	70.96
Feb 1986	98,841	70.72
Mar 1986	98,935	70.73
Apr 1986	99,122	70.98
May 1986	99,249	70.60
Jun 1986	99,155	71.53
Jul 1986	99,473	71.92
Aug 1986	99,587	71.23
Sep 1986	99,934	72.05
Oct 1986	100,120	71.93
Nov 1986	100,306	72.62
Dec 1986	100,511	73.52
Jan 1987	100,683	73.24
Feb 1987	100,915	74.89
Mar 1987	101,164	75.31
Apr 1987	101,502	75.73
May 1987	101,728	76.70
Jun 1987	101,900	76.91
Jul 1987	102,247	77.54
Aug 1987	102,418	78.57
Sep 1987	102,646	78.70
Oct 1987	103,138	79.95
Nov 1987	103,370	79.75
Dec 1987	103,664	80.63
Jan 1988	103,758	80.49
Feb 1988	104,211	81.29
Mar 1988	104,487	81.51
Apr 1988	104,732	82.23
May 1988	104,961	82.59
Jun 1988	105,324	82.75
Jul 1988	105,546	82.51
Aug 1988	105,670	83.41
Sep 1988	106,009	83.68
Oct 1988	106,277	84.30
Nov 1988	106,616	84.50
Dec 1988	106,906	85.25
Jan 1989	107,168	85.77
Feb 1989	107,426	85.33
Mar 1989	107,619	85.33
Apr 1989	107,792	85.57
May 1989	107,910	84.72
Jun 1989	108,026	84.63
Jul 1989	108,066	84.40
Aug 1989	108,115	84.81
Sep 1989	108,365	85.05
Oct 1989	108,476	84.40
Nov 1989	108,753	85.23
Dec 1989	108,849	84.98
Jan 1990	109,184	84.81
Feb 1990	109,433	85.64
Mar 1990	109,647	85.64
Apr 1990	109,687	84.99
May 1990	109,838	85.29
Jun 1990	109,862	84.35
Jul 1990	109,830	84.50
Aug 1990	109,614	83.86
Sep 1990	109,525	83.47
Oct 1990	109,366	81.63
Nov 1990	109,216	80.46
Dec 1990	109,160	79.34
Jan 1991	109,040	79.26
Feb 1991	108,735	78.16
Mar 1991	108,577	77.56
Apr 1991	108,366	77.87
May 1991	108,241	78.20
Jun 1991	108,338	78.68
Jul 1991	108,298	79.03
Aug 1991	108,308	78.69
Sep 1991	108,340	78.91
Oct 1991	108,357	78.45
Nov 1991	108,299	77.36
Dec 1991	108,325	77.32
Jan 1992	108,377	77.74
Feb 1992	108,314	77.99
Mar 1992	108,368	78.76
Apr 1992	108,527	79.70
May 1992	108,653	80.40
Jun 1992	108,721	80.62
Jul 1992	108,792	80.79
Aug 1992	108,930	80.30
Sep 1992	108,966	80.72
Oct 1992	109,148	81.51
Nov 1992	109,284	81.93
Dec 1992	109,496	83.31
Jan 1993	109,805	84.12
Feb 1993	110,047	83.80
Mar 1993	109,998	84.00
Apr 1993	110,306	84.00
May 1993	110,572	84.63
Jun 1993	110,754	85.02
Jul 1993	111,055	84.95
Aug 1993	111,211	85.45
Sep 1993	111,451	86.10
Oct 1993	111,737	86.92
Nov 1993	112,000	87.68
Dec 1993	112,312	88.42
Jan 1994	112,583	90.19
Feb 1994	112,783	91.48
Mar 1994	113,248	92.95
Apr 1994	113,598	93.35
May 1994	113,931	92.90
Jun 1994	114,246	94.00
Jul 1994	114,619	95.06
Aug 1994	114,901	96.42
Sep 1994	115,254	96.57
Oct 1994	115,467	96.84
Nov 1994	115,887	97.71
Dec 1994	116,164	98.81
Jan 1995	116,488	99.03
Feb 1995	116,692	99.25
Mar 1995	116,913	98.82
Apr 1995	117,075	98.51
May 1995	117,060	98.37
Jun 1995	117,294	98.45
Jul 1995	117,390	98.47
Aug 1995	117,643	99.39
Sep 1995	117,887	99.53
Oct 1995	118,040	99.32
Nov 1995	118,189	99.29
Dec 1995	118,322	100.14
Jan 1996	118,303	99.46
Feb 1996	118,735	100.67
Mar 1996	119,002	99.78
Apr 1996	119,165	101.81
May 1996	119,487	102.57
Jun 1996	119,774	103.06
Jul 1996	120,023	103.38
Aug 1996	120,202	104.49
Sep 1996	120,427	104.45
Oct 1996	120,677	104.27
Nov 1996	120,976	105.85
Dec 1996	121,147	105.14
Jan 1997	121,381	107.42
Feb 1997	121,684	108.76
Mar 1997	122,000	109.33
Apr 1997	122,292	109.09
May 1997	122,552	110.53
Jun 1997	122,818	111.49
Jul 1997	123,124	112.61
Aug 1997	123,093	112.19
Sep 1997	123,605	113.48
Oct 1997	123,945	113.42
Nov 1997	124,251	114.66
Dec 1997	124,554	115.68
Jan 1998	124,830	115.52
Feb 1998	125,026	117.04
Mar 1998	125,177	117.34
Apr 1998	125,457	117.64
May 1998	125,861	118.27
Jun 1998	126,080	118.20
Jul 1998	126,209	117.53
Aug 1998	126,551	119.57
Sep 1998	126,774	119.65
Oct 1998	126,973	120.57
Nov 1998	127,255	120.98
Dec 1998	127,601	121.52
Jan 1999	127,727	122.06
Feb 1999	128,137	124.19
Mar 1999	128,244	124.03
Apr 1999	128,620	124.37
May 1999	128,831	124.90
Jun 1999	129,091	125.71
Jul 1999	129,417	126.37
Aug 1999	129,577	126.51
Sep 1999	129,791	126.13
Oct 1999	130,191	128.32
Nov 1999	130,484	129.10
Dec 1999	130,780	129.96
Jan 2000	131,010	130.61
Feb 2000	131,140	130.18
Mar 2000	131,608	131.73
Apr 2000	131,895	131.88
May 2000	132,122	131.46
Jun 2000	132,075	131.49
Jul 2000	132,251	131.91
Aug 2000	132,241	130.22
Sep 2000	132,377	131.16
Oct 2000	132,363	130.02
Nov 2000	132,589	129.07
Dec 2000	132,731	128.11
Jan 2001	132,705	127.23
Feb 2001	132,777	125.99
Mar 2001	132,752	123.90
Apr 2001	132,471	121.91
May 2001	132,433	120.93
Jun 2001	132,302	119.07
Jul 2001	132,190	119.13
Aug 2001	132,033	118.99
Sep 2001	131,793	113.99
Oct 2001	131,468	112.09
Nov 2001	131,175	110.69
Dec 2001	131,005	111.60
Jan 2002	130,867	111.75
Feb 2002	130,733	111.81
Mar 2002	130,713	112.69
Apr 2002	130,634	112.68
May 2002	130,627	113.53
Jun 2002	130,684	114.08
Jul 2002	130,599	113.52
Aug 2002	130,585	113.53
Sep 2002	130,526	111.72
Oct 2002	130,652	111.82
Nov 2002	130,662	112.70
Dec 2002	130,505	110.09
Jan 2003	130,597	112.14
Feb 2003	130,447	110.64
Mar 2003	130,238	109.88
Apr 2003	130,194	109.21
May 2003	130,186	109.67
Jun 2003	130,195	110.79
Jul 2003	130,219	111.05
Aug 2003	130,177	112.15
Sep 2003	130,281	111.20
Oct 2003	130,479	111.88
Nov 2003	130,496	113.23
Dec 2003	130,618	113.44
Jan 2004	130,780	113.53
Feb 2004	130,826	114.56
Mar 2004	131,158	115.29
Apr 2004	131,407	115.80
May 2004	131,715	116.68
Jun 2004	131,791	116.39
Jul 2004	131,835	118.10
Aug 2004	131,956	117.91
Sep 2004	132,120	117.60
Oct 2004	132,466	118.69
Nov 2004	132,530	118.33
Dec 2004	132,660	120.24
Jan 2005	132,794	120.06
Feb 2005	133,033	122.54
Mar 2005	133,169	121.47
Apr 2005	133,534	122.88
May 2005	133,708	121.95
Jun 2005	133,955	122.42
Jul 2005	134,331	122.77
Aug 2005	134,525	123.51
Sep 2005	134,593	120.74
Oct 2005	134,678	122.46
Nov 2005	135,015	124.79
Dec 2005	135,174	125.22
Jan 2006	135,452	126.72
Feb 2006	135,768	126.79
Mar 2006	136,049	126.98
Apr 2006	136,232	128.01
May 2006	136,255	126.73
Jun 2006	136,337	126.59
Jul 2006	136,544	125.86
Aug 2006	136,725	126.75
Sep 2006	136,883	126.69
Oct 2006	136,887	126.17
Nov 2006	137,095	125.80
Dec 2006	137,266	126.47
Jan 2007	137,506	127.51
Feb 2007	137,596	128.33
Mar 2007	137,785	128.70
Apr 2007	137,864	127.78
May 2007	138,007	127.68
Jun 2007	138,085	127.80
Jul 2007	138,052	127.25
Aug 2007	138,028	127.16
Sep 2007	138,116	126.60
Oct 2007	138,201	125.66
Nov 2007	138,316	125.18
Dec 2007	138,413	124.53
Jan 2008	138,432	125.00
Feb 2008	138,346	122.42
Mar 2008	138,268	120.80
Apr 2008	138,058	119.90
May 2008	137,873	118.22
Jun 2008	137,708	117.68
Jul 2008	137,499	115.12
Aug 2008	137,233	113.17
Sep 2008	136,781	109.69
Oct 2008	136,308	107.19
Nov 2008	135,539	103.54
Dec 2008	134,844	100.39
Jan 2009	134,053	97.10
Feb 2009	133,350	95.17
Mar 2009	132,527	92.51
Apr 2009	131,841	91.52
May 2009	131,490	91.24
Jun 2009	131,020	91.32
Jul 2009	130,691	91.22
Aug 2009	130,479	91.69
Sep 2009	130,260	92.37
Oct 2009	130,060	92.59
Nov 2009	130,053	93.62
Dec 2009	129,774	95.20
Jan 2010	129,802	96.67
Feb 2010	129,733	96.75
Mar 2010	129,896	97.30
Apr 2010	130,139	99.28
May 2010	130,661	99.51
Jun 2010	130,528	99.94
Jul 2010	130,458	100.78
Aug 2010	130,424	101.14
Sep 2010	130,372	101.15
Oct 2010	130,629	101.77
Nov 2010	130,752	101.97
Dec 2010	130,840	103.74
Jan 2011	130,882	103.88
Feb 2011	131,070	104.75
Mar 2011	131,295	105.76
Apr 2011	131,641	104.98
May 2011	131,714	104.44
Jun 2011	131,949	105.75
Jul 2011	132,019	105.64
Aug 2011	132,126	105.95
Sep 2011	132,372	106.15
Oct 2011	132,574	107.34
Nov 2011	132,720	107.98
Dec 2011	132,927	109.24
Jan 2012	133,265	110.39
Feb 2012	133,522	111.22
Mar 2012	133,761	110.98
Apr 2012	133,836	111.51
May 2012	133,951	112.16
Jun 2012	134,038	111.25
Jul 2012	134,181	111.45
Aug 2012	134,371	111.97
Sep 2012	134,552	111.07
Oct 2012	134,684	111.87
Nov 2012	134,833	112.35
Dec 2012	135,076	113.27
Jan 2013	135,266	113.68
Feb 2013	135,577	114.93
Mar 2013	135,712	114.65
Apr 2013	135,904	114.52
May 2013	136,122	115.09
Jun 2013	136,268	114.95
Jul 2013	136,408	115.23
Aug 2013	136,677	116.35
Sep 2013	136,862	116.97
Oct 2013	137,051	116.45
Nov 2013	137,342	117.97
Dec 2013	137,387	117.73
Jan 2014	137,574	117.94
Feb 2014	137,742	118.80
Mar 2014	138,014	119.83
Apr 2014	138,324	120.06
May 2014	138,537	121.22
Jun 2014	138,843	121.99
Jul 2014	139,075	122.54
Aug 2014	139,293	123.35
Sep 2014	139,579	123.12
Oct 2014	139,779	124.40
Nov 2014	140,110	125.14
Dec 2014	140,402	125.98
Jan 2015	140,623	126.49
Feb 2015	140,888	126.42
Mar 2015	140,972	126.18
Apr 2015	141,223	127.33
May 2015	141,496	127.03
Jun 2015	141,724	127.09
Jul 2015	142,001	127.76
Aug 2015	142,151	128.72
Sep 2015	142,300	129.07
Oct 2015	142,595	129.46
Nov 2015	142,875	128.31
Dec 2015	143,137	128.71
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and The Conference Board.