September 2019 Employment Cost Index — 2019-10-31

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.7 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending in September 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries increased 0.9 percent and benefit costs increased 0.6 percent from June 2019. (See tables A, 1, 2, and 3.) Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.8 percent for the 12-month period ending in September 2019, the same as in September 2018. Wages and salaries increased 2.9 percent for the 12-month period ending in September 2019 and also increased 2.9 percent for the 12-month period ending in September 2018. Benefit costs increased 2.3 percent for the 12-month period ending in September 2019. In September 2018, the increase was 2.6 percent. (See tables A, 4, 8, and 12.) Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.7 percent over the year, compared with a compensation cost increase of 2.9 percent in September 2018.