September 2011 Employment Cost Index

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.3 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending September 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) increased 0.3 percent, and benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) were virtually unchanged at 0.1 percent.

Civilian Workers

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.0 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2011. A year earlier—in September 2010—the increase was 1.9 percent. Wages and salaries increased 1.6 percent for the current 12-month period. In September 2010 the increase was 1.5 percent. Benefit costs increased 3.2 percent. In September 2010, the increase was 2.8 percent.

Private Industry Workers

Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.1 percent over the year, compared to the 2.0 percent increase for the previous 12-month period. The wage and salary series increased 1.7 percent for the current 12-month period. The increase for the 12-month period ending September 2010 was 1.6 percent. The increase in the cost of benefits was 3.3 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2011, compared to the September 2010 increase of 2.8 percent. Employer costs for health benefits increased 3.4 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2011, lower than the September 2010 increase of 4.8 percent.

Among occupational groups, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the 12-month period ending September 2011 ranged from 1.5 percent for service occupations to 2.4 percent for sales and office occupations.

Among industry supersectors, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the current 12-month period ranged from 1.0 percent for construction to 3.3 percent for financial activities. Over the last 10 years, estimates for financial activities have ranged from 0.0 percent in March 2009 to 7.4 percent in December 2003.

State and Local Government Workers

Compensation costs for State and local government workers increased 1.5 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2011. In September 2010, the increase for the 12-month period was 1.8 percent. Values for this series—which began in June 1982—have ranged from the current period’s 1.5 percent to 9.6 percent in June 1982. Wages and salaries increased 1.0 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2011. A year earlier the increase was 1.2 percent. Prior values for this series, which also began in June 1982, ranged from the current period’s 1.0 percent to 8.5 percent in June 1982. Benefit costs increased 2.5 percent; in September 2010 the increase was 2.8 percent. Prior values for this series, which began in June 1990, ranged from 1.2 percent in December 1997 to 8.3 percent in June 1990.

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Some Employment Cost Index estimates from June 2009 through September 2010 were corrected on January 18, 2011. (In some of the seasonally adjusted series, corrections were made to estimates back to June 2005.) For further information, see: www.bls.gov/bls/eci_corrections_111910.htm

Category 3-month, 12-month, seasonally adjusted not seasonally adjusted June Sep. Sep. Dec. Mar. June Sep. 2011 2011 2010 2010 2011 2011 2011

CIVILIAN WORKERS[1]

PRIVATE INDUSTRY

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

[1] Includes private industry and State and local government. [2] Includes wages and salaries and benefits.