News release: “Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.5 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending December 2009, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Both components of compensation–wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation) and benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation)–increased the same amount, 0.5 percent.

• Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.5 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2009. This
  was smaller than the 2.6 percent increase for the 12-month period ending in December 2008. Wages and salaries also increased 1.5 percent for the current 12-month period, slowing from a 2.7 percent increase for the 12-month period ending in December 2008. Benefit costs rose 1.5 percent, compared with a 2.2 percent increase for the 12-month period ending December 2008.

• Private Industry Worker Data – Compensation costs increased 1.2 percent, the same as last quarter’s 12-month percent increase. These are the smallest percent changes published since the series began in 1979. The wage and salary series increased 1.4 percent for the current 12-month period, the same as the September 2009 12-month percent increase. These are also the smallest published percent changes since the series began in 1975. The cost of benefits increased 1.0 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2009. This is the smallest published percent change since the series began in 1979. In September 2009, benefits increased 1.1 percent. Employer costs for health benefits increased 4.4 percent for the 12-month period ending December 2009. In December 2008, the 12-month percent change was 3.5 percent.”