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Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.4 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending September 2013, following a 0.5 percent increase in June, 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 in the September quarter, similar to the 0.4 percent increase for the previous period. Benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) increased 0.7 percent, compared to a 0.4 percent increase for the 3-month period ending in June.
Civilian Workers
Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.9 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013, unchanged from the 12-month period ending in September 2012. Wages and salaries increased 1.6 percent for the current 12-month period. In September 2012, the 12-month increase was 1.7 percent. Benefit costs increased 2.2 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013, compared with the 2.4 percent increase for the 12-month period ending September 2012.
Private Industry Workers
Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 1.9 percent over the 12-month period ending September 2013, the same increase as in September 2012. Wages and salaries increased 1.8 percent for the year ending in September 2013, the same increase as the period one year ago. The increase in the cost of benefits was 2.0 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013, compared with a 2.2 percent increase in the period ending in September 2012. Health benefit costs increased 2.7 percent. In September 2012, the increase was 2.3 percent.
Among occupational groups, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the 12-month period ending September 2013 ranged from 1.4 percent for service occupations to 2.1 percent for management, professional, and related occupations.
Among industry supersectors, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the current 12-month period ranged from 1.1 percent for leisure and hospitality to 2.2 percent for financial activities industry and other services except public administration industry.
State and Local Government Workers
Compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 1.7 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013. In September 2012 the increase was 1.8 percent. Wages and salaries increased 0.9 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2013, compared with a 1.1 percent increase from a year earlier. Prior values for this series, which began in June 1982, ranged from 1.0 percent to 8.5 percent. Benefit costs increased 2.9 percent in September 2013. In September 2012, the increase was 3.2 percent.
Partial Federal Government Shutdown
The release of these data occurs about 2 weeks later than originally scheduled because of the recent partial Federal government shutdown. Data collection for the estimates in this release had not been completed prior to the shutdown. However, they were collected after the shutdown ended. In addition, the processing of estimates and the production of the Employment Cost Index news release were delayed due to the shutdown.
Corrections to ECI Data Series
Some Employment Cost Index estimates from September 2012 through March 2013 were corrected on June 26, 2013. (Seasonally adjusted estimates were subject to corrections back to March 2008.) For further information, see: www.bls.gov/bls/eci_corrections_043013.htm.
Updated Employment Weights
Beginning with the December 2013 news release, the Employment Cost Index will introduce new employment weights based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and the 2012 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Category 3-month, 12-month, seasonally adjusted not seasonally adjusted June Sep. Sep. Dec. Mar. June Sep. 2013 2013 2012 2012 2013 2013 2013
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.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Original release Nov 19, 2013.
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