Employment Cost Index-December 2001 — 2002-01-31

The Employment Cost Index (not seasonally adjusted) for December 2001 was 156.8 (June 1989=100), an increase of 4.1 percent from December 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. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the 3-month increase in compensation costs for civilian workers (nonfarm private industry plus State and local government) was 0.9 percent during the September-December 2001 period, following a gain of 1.0 percent in June-September 2001. Wages and salaries increased 0.8 percent during the December 2001 period, identical to the change in the previous 3-month period. Benefit costs rose 1.2 percent during the December 2001 quarter, falling from the 1.6 percent gain in the September 2001 quarter. Table A. 3-month percent changes in Employment Cost Index, seasonally adjusted Mar. June Sep. Dec. Mar. June Sep. Dec.