Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.5 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2009. This was smaller than the 2.9 percent increase for the 12-month period ending in September 2008. Wages and salaries increased 1.5 percent for the current 12-month period, slowing from a 3.1 percent increase for the 12-month period ending in September 2008. Benefit costs rose 1.6 percent, down from a 2.6 percent increase for the 12-month period ending September 2008.
Private Industry Worker Data
Compensation costs, wages and salaries, and benefit costs decelerated for private industry workers for the 12-month period ending September 2009, registering the smallest increases since each series began, but the differences were not statistically different from last quarter. Compensation costs increased 1.2 percent, the smallest percent change published since the series began in 1980. The wage and salary series, which began in 1975, increased 1.4 percent for the current 12-month period. The cost of benefits, which have been measured since 1980, increased 1.1 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2009. Employer costs for health benefits increased 4.7 percent for the 12-month period ending September 2009. In September 2008, the 12-month percent change was 3.9 percent.
Among occupational groups, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the 12-month period ending September 2009 ranged from 0.8 percent for sales and office workers to 2.1 percent for service occupations.
Among industries, compensation cost increases for private industry workers for the current 12-month period ranged from 0.7 percent for information to 2.1 percent for education and health services.
