December 2014 Employment Cost Index — 2015-01-30

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.6 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending December 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) increased 0.5 percent, and benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) increased 0.6 percent. Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.2 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2014. In December 2013, the increase in compensation costs was 2.0 percent. Wages and salaries increased 2.1 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2014, compared with a 1.9-percent increase in December 2013. Benefit costs increased 2.6 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2014, compared with a 2.2-percent increase for the 12-month period ending December 2013. (See tables A, 4, 8, and 12.) Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.3 percent over the year. In December 2013 the increase was 2.0 percent.