December 2013 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 0.5 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending December 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) increased 0.6 percent, and benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) increased 0.6 percent.

Civilian Workers

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.0 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2013, essentially unchanged from the December 2012 increase of 1.9 percent. Wages and salaries increased 1.9 percent for the current 12-month period. In December 2012 the increase was 1.7 percent. Benefit costs increased 2.2 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2013. In December 2012 the increase was 2.4 percent.

Updated Employment Weights

Beginning with this release, Employment Cost Index measures are based on 2012 fixed employment counts, rather than 2002 counts. For additional information, see the Technical Note on page 4.

Private Industry Workers

Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.0 percent over the year. In December 2012 the increase was 1.8 percent. Wages and salaries increased 2.1 percent for the current 12-month period. In December 2012 the increase was 1.7 percent. The increase in the cost of benefits was 1.9 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2013, essentially unchanged from the December 2012 increase of 2.0 percent. Employer costs for health benefits increased 3.0 percent over the year. In December 2012 the increase was 2.1 percent.

Among occupational groups, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the 12-month period ending December 2013 ranged from 1.4 percent for service occupations to 2.3 percent for sales and office occupations.

Among industry supersectors, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the current 12-month period ranged from 0.8 percent for information to 2.9 percent for other services, except public administration.

State and Local Government Workers

Compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 1.9 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2013, unchanged from December 2012. Wages and salaries increased 1.1 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2013, unchanged from December 2012. Prior values for this series, which began in June 1982, ranged from 0.9 percent to 8.5 percent. Benefit costs increased 3.3 percent in December 2013. In December 2012, the increase was 3.4 percent.

New seasonal factors for 2014, along with revised seasonally adjusted indexes for the past five years will be available online Monday, April 28, 2014.

BLS news releases, including the ECI, are available through an e-mail subscription service at: www.bls.gov/bls/list.htm.

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.

Category 3-month, 12-month, seasonally adjusted not seasonally adjusted Sep. Dec. Dec. Mar. June Sep. Dec. 2013 2013 2012 2013 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.