Growth in the industry is at an all-time low, with total employment at less than 68,000 people and fewer companies in the field than there have been during any of the past ten years.

A. at less than 68,000 people and fewer
B. at fewer than 68,000 people and fewer
C. lesser than 68,000 people and fewer
D. fewer than 68,000 people and less
E. at less than 68,000 people and there are less

Please elaborate your query in future. Is it the use of two "fewer"s in succession that makes you feel that the sentence is awkward? If so, then consider the two parallel items separately - the simplified structure of the sentence is as follows:

With X and Y, the growth is at an all-time low.

The prepositional phrase modifier "with X and Y" has been shifted to the end of the main clause*.
Here X = total employment at fewer than 68,000 people
Y = fewer companies in the field....
Parallelism is maintained because X and Y are both noun phrases (with "employment" and "companies" as head nouns respectively).

(*Note: this usage is allowed for present participle modifiers and prepositional phrase modifiers.)

You cannot eliminate B with any solid reason.

Growth in the industry is at an all-time low, with total employment at less than 68,000 people and fewer companies in the field than there have been during any of the past ten years.

A. at less than 68,000 people and fewer -number of people are countable; less--wrong
B. at fewer than 68,000 people and fewer -correct
C. lesser than 68,000 people and fewer -wrong
D. fewer than 68,000 people and less -number of companies are countable; less--wrong
E. at less than 68,000 people and there are less -wrong
_________________

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