“Covered employment” measures all employed persons covered under the Unemployment Insurance Act. The measure accounts for approximately 75% of the total employment in Thurston County, and includes both part-time and temporary positions. Job categories not measured in the count include self-employed workers, proprietors, CEOs, military, and other non-insured workers. If a worker holds more than one job, each position is reported separately.

The Sustainable Thurston Report Card uses the average covered employment wages to measure how well the Thurston region is doing at increasing average wages. No targets have been established for wage increases.