Employment Cost Index-September 2001 — 2001-10-25

The Employment Cost Index (not seasonally adjusted) for September 2001 was 155.6 (June 1989=100), an increase of 4.1 percent from September 2000, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The Employment Cost Index (ECI), a component of the Bureau's National Compensation Survey, measures changes in compensation costs, which include wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits. The events of September 11 occurred during the reference period for the ECI. The attacks resulted in a tragic loss of lives and significant disruptions in the New York and Washington area economies, as well as disruptions to other businesses outside these directly impacted areas. A review of survey responses was undertaken to evaluate the impact of the situation on the ECI survey cooperation rates by industry and any impact of nonresponse on survey estimates. No unusual effects were found.