March 2020 Employment Cost Index — 2020-04-30

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.8 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending in March 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries increased 0.9 percent and benefit costs increased 0.4 percent from December 2019. (See tables A, 1, 2, and 3.) Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.8 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2020, and also increased 2.8 percent in March 2019. Wages and salaries increased 3.1 percent over the year and increased 2.9 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2019. Benefit costs increased 2.1 percent for the 12-month period ending in March 2020. In March 2019, the increase was 2.6 percent. (See tables A, 4, 8, and 12.) Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.8 percent over the year. In March 2019, the increase was also 2.8 percent.