March 2014 Employment Cost Index — 2014-04-30

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.3 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending March 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) increased 0.3 percent, and benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) increased 0.4 percent. Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.8 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014. In March 2013, the increase in compensation costs was 1.9 percent. Prior values for this series, which began in June 1982, ranged from 1.4 percent to 7.5 percent. Wages and salaries increased 1.6 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014, unchanged from March 2013. Benefit costs increased 2.1 percent for the 12-month period ending March 2014, compared with a 2.4 percent increase for the 12-month period ending March 2013. Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 1.7 percent over the year. In March 2013 the increase was 1.9 percent.