Edt, Thursday, April 30, 1998 — 1998-04-30

The Employment Cost Index (ECI) for March 1998 was 136.3 (June 1989=100), an increase of 3.3 percent from March 1997, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The ECI measures changes in compensation costs, which include wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits. On a seasonally adjusted basis, compensation costs for civilian workers (private industry plus state and local governments) rose 0.7 percent during the December 1997-March 1998 period. Three-month increases in compensation costs have ranged from 0.6 percent to 1.0 percent for the last seven years. Wages and salaries increased 0.8 percent during the December 1997-March 1998 period. The increase was 1.1 percent in the Table A. 3-month percent changes in Employment Cost Index, seasonally adjusted June Sep. Dec. Mar. June Sep. Dec. Mar.