Employment Cost Index-March 1999 — 1999-04-29

The Employment Cost Index (not seasonally adjusted) for March 1999 was 140.4 (June 1989=100), an increase of 3.0 percent from March 1998, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The Employment Cost Index (ECI) measures changes in compensation costs, which include wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the 3-month increase in compensation costs for civilian workers (private nonfarm industry plus state and local government) was 0.4 percent during the December 1998-March 1999 period, following a gain of 0.7 percent in December. The gain for wages and salaries was 0.5 percent during the December 1998-March 1999 period and 0.7 percent in the previous 3-month period. Benefit costs rose 0.3 percent during the December 1998-March 1999 period and 0.6 percent in the September-December 1998 quarter. Table A. 3-month percent changes in Employment Cost Index, seasonally adjusted June Sep. Dec. Mar. June Sep. Dec. Mar.