March 2015 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 0.7 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending March 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) increased 0.7 percent, and benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) increased 0.6 percent.

Civilian Workers

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.6 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2015, rising from the March 2014 increase in compensation costs of 1.8 percent. Wages and salaries increased 2.6 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2015, which was higher than the 1.6-percent increase in March 2014. Benefit costs increased 2.7 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2015, compared with a 2.1-percent increase for the 12-month period ending March 2014. (See tables A, 4, 8, and 12.)

Private Industry Workers

Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.8 percent over the year, higher than the March 2014 increase of 1.7 percent. Wages and salaries increased 2.8 percent for the current 12-month period ending March 2015, also higher than the March 2014 increase of 1.7 percent. The cost of benefits rose 2.6 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2015, which was higher than March 2014, when the increase was 1.8 percent. (See tables A, 5, 9, and 12.) Employer costs for health benefits increased 2.5 percent over the year. The 12-month percent change for March 2014 was an increase of 2.4 percent.

Among occupational groups, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the 12-month period ending March 2015 ranged from 2.3 percent for natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations and service occupations to 3.4 percent for sales and office occupations.

Among industry supersectors, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the current 12-month period ranged from 1.8 percent for construction to 6.1 percent for information.

State and Local Government Workers

Compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 2.1 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2015, compared with a 1.9-percent increase for March 2014. Wages and salaries increased 1.8 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2015. In March 2014, the increase was 1.2 percent. Benefit costs increased 2.8 percent in March 2015. In March 2014, the increase was 3.0 percent. (See tables A, 7, 11, and 12.)

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 2010-2014 were revised to reflect updated seasonal factors. For further information on seasonal adjustment, see the technical note.

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

Upcoming Changes to News Release Format

There will be some changes to the format of this news release beginning with the June 2015 ECI release. The changes include the addition of several charts to the analysis section and some minor changes to the tables. For further information, see www.bls.gov/ect/#notices on or after Monday, May 4, 2015.

Category 3-month, 12-month, seasonally adjusted not seasonally adjusted Dec. Mar. Mar. June Sept. Dec. Mar. 2014 2015 2014 2014 2014 2014 2015

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.