March 2014 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 March 2014, 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) increased 0.4 percent.

Civilian Workers

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.8 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014. In March 2013, the increase in compensation costs was 1.9 percent. Prior values for this series, which began in June 1982, ranged from 1.4 percent to 7.5 percent. Wages and salaries increased 1.6 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014, unchanged from March 2013. Benefit costs increased 2.1 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014, compared with a 2.4 percent increase for the 12-month period ending March 2013.

Private Industry Workers

Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 1.7 percent over the year. In March 2013 the increase was 1.9 percent. Wages and salaries increased 1.7 percent for the current 12-month period ending March 2014, unchanged from March 2013. The increase in the cost of benefits was 1.8 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014. In March 2013, the increase in the cost of benefits was 2.0 percent. Employer costs for health benefits increased 2.4 percent over the year. In March 2013 the increase was 3.0 percent.

Among occupational groups, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the 12-month period ending March 2014 ranged from 1.1 percent for service occupations to 1.9 percent for management, professional, and related; natural resource, construction, and maintenance; and production, transportation, and material moving occupations.

Among industry supersectors, compensation costs for private industry workers for the current 12- month period ranged from 0.8 percent for information to a 2.3 percent increase for trade, transportation, and utilities.

State and Local Government Workers

Compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 1.9 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014, unchanged from March 2013. Wages and salaries increased 1.2 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014, compared with 1.0 percent in March 2013. Benefit costs increased 3.0 percent in March 2014. In March 2013, the increase was 3.5 percent.

This release incorporates annual revisions in seasonally adjusted Employment Cost Index (ECI) data for total compensation, wages and salaries, and benefit costs. Seasonally adjusted data for 2009-2013 were revised to reflect updated seasonal factors.

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 Dec. Mar. Mar. June Sep. Dec. Mar. 2013 2014 2013 2013 2013 2013 2014

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.