Table 16. SPECIAL INDUSTRIES: Employer costs for employee compensation, and costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996

Benefit costs
Total Wages
Series compen- | and Supple- Retirement| Legally
sation | salaries and | required | , Other
Total | Paid leave | mental pay] Insurance savings | benefits | derefitst
Cost per hour worked
‘Transportation equipment manufacturing (SIC 37) $2981 | $18.11 | $11.69 $2.55 $1.70 $2.92 $1.47 $2.71 $0.35
"35.76 23.67 12.08 348 {>> 1.13 272 47% 2.79 25
39.81 26.76 13.05 3.82 1.07 2.85 1.95. 3.09 2
41.32 27.36 13.96 442 1.50 2.78 1.91 3.09 25
26.64 15.29 11.35 2.05 1.96 3.00 4.82 2.66 7
. 32.27 16.14 16.13 3.05 3.00 3.57 2.14 3.19 1.18
Aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) ... 34.09 21.79 12.30 3.13 1.68 2.86 1.82 2.72 10
White-collar occupations 36.23 23.72 12.51 3.49 1.34 272 2.09 2.80 08
Biue~ollar occupations 30.52 18.60 14.92 2.53 2.29 3.10 1.36 2.57 08
Public utilities (SIC's 48, 49) 27.12 18.30 8.82 251 82 2.49 98 1.96 06
White- ollar occupations 26.86 18.42 8.44 2.50 66 242 92 1.87 07
Blue-cullar occupations 2801 18.44 9.57 2.59 1.07 2.65 1.09 213 04
Communications (SIC 48) .. 25.92 17.61 8.31 2.42 85 2.46 69 1.82 07
White-collar occupations 2527 17.42 7.85 231 73 231 87 1.75 08
Biue iar occupations 28.12 18.49 x 27 414 2.89 76 2.01 06
Electr‘c, gas, and sanitary services (SIC 49) 28.97 19.36 9.61 2.65 78 2.54 1.42 2.19 04
‘White-coliar occupations 30.53 20.71 9.82 294 s 2.66 1.48 2.16 06
Blue-coliar occupations 27.91 18.40 9.51 2.44 1.00 2.44 1.37 2.24 02
Percent of total compensation
‘Transportation equipment manufacturing (SIC 37) .. 60.8% | 39.2% 8.6% 5.7% 9.8% 9.1% 12%
White-rollar occupations ... 662 33.8 97 32 78 78 7
Professional specialty ‘and technical 672 32.8 96 27 72 78 7a
Exec. tive, administrative, 66.2 33.8 10.7 36 67 75 4
‘Blue-cullar occupations ... 574 426 cea 73 13 49 10.0 14
Service tlons 50.0 50.0 95 93 W4 66 99 37
Alreratt manutacturing (SIC S721) cacccweweemenennenneee| 100.0 63.9 96.1 92 49 84 53 6.0 3
White-collar r occupations saeeetumennsneanameneneee| 100.0 65.5 945 96 a7 75 58 77 2
rs weaeeseeresemasscrenseen| 100.0 60.9 39.1 83. 7S 10.2 45 84 3
‘Public utilities (SIC'S 48, 49) —saveennevnnneee 100.0 675 325 93 30 92 3.6 72 2
68.6 314 93 25 90 34 70 3
65.8 2 93 38 95 39 76 a
679 32.1 93 33 95 27 70 3
White-collar occupations 69.0 31.0 a4 29 94 27 6s 3
Blue-colar occupations 658 342 98 44 103 27 7A 2
Elect :c, gas, and sanitary services (SIC 49) 66.8 33.2 92 27 88 49 76 a
‘White-collar occupations. 100.0 67.8 92.2 96 17 87 48 TA
Biue-collar occupations 100.0 659 34.4 88 36 87 49 80

* Includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment

NOTE: SIC rele to the 106) Starderd Industtal Gissticaton Sytem code as

defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.



4

‘Table 19. PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY OCCUPATIONAL AND INDUSTRY CATEGORIES: Employer costs per hour worked for employee
compensation, and costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996

Benet costs
Total | Wages ne >
Sortes compen- | and tirement! Legal
sation | salaries Supple: Other

and required
Total | Paid leave | mental pay] Insurance savings | benefits benefits!

Cost per hour worked
"All workers in private industry $1258 | $491 $1a2 | $o4a | $1.14 $0.55 siso | $0.03
-21.10 15.44 5.66 7 1.28 66 03
29.19 | 21.25 794 1.64 1.00 05 i
3020 | 22.49 3i 1.68 1.01- 05
. 24.84 17.90 6.94 154 ‘97 05
Executive, administrative, managerial 33.12 24.07 9.05 4.75 1.16 06
Sates occupations 14.34 11.09 325 70 28 (2)
Administrative support including clerical 14.93 10.69 423 121 46 02
47.04 11.61 544 1.33 62 1.87 03
22.12 15.10 7.92 1.64 86 244 05 |
Operators, assemblers, and inspector 15.48 10.22 527 1.43 47 1.56 05
‘Trancporation and material moving 16.96 11.62 5.34 125 74 197 (?)
Handiers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers .. 12.07 848 3.59 85 A 1.43 (2) |
6.53 2.07 36 14, AS 13 1.00 (7)
14.38 6.89 1.43 85 1.67 80 2.08 07
14.86 6.73 7 69 141 1.05 2.86 (?)
14.13 6.86 1.60 88 172 71 1.86 08
44.92 758 474 1.05 1.90 75 201 112
13.03 585 1.40 65 147 65 1.64 03
1201 427 1.02 38 7 47 1.44 @)
16.51 77 1.79 58 197 11S 2.20 ‘
13.98 $.06 116 AT 1.25 48 1.68 (7)
7.50 2.04 35 16 AO 2 1.00 (2)
16.12 648 1.64 86 151 82 1.61 04
12.76 442 1.13 36 7 48 1.48 @) |
}
Percent of total compensation H

732 268 cz) 26 6.1 34 78 a
728 272 74 29 56 34 27 2
73.0 279 75 34 54 33 75 2
721 a9 24 24 62 39 82 2
727 273 as 27 53 35 72
73 227 45 27 49 20 8s (i)
716 284 70 20 84 a1 80 4
684 319 5S 37 78 36 11.0 2 i
633 31.7 59 33 74 39 109 2
66.0 94.0 64 49 a2 30 10.1 i
68s 315 49 92 74 44 11.6 (?) }
70.3 29.7 43 32 TA 34 19 (?) H
759 244 42 1.6 52 1s 11.6 (2)
Indust: group
Goods >roducing industries? . 100.0 676 32.4 67 49 78 37 98 3
Cons.ruction 100.0 688 312 33 32 65 49 132 (2)
100.9 673 327 76 42 82 34 89 4
100.0 66.3 33.7 77 47 84 33 89 $s
400.0 69.0 31.0 74 34 78 35 87 2
100.0 737 26.3 62 23 5.9 29 88 (7) |
100.0 682 318 74 24 a1 47 94 4 }
100.0 73.4 266 61 25 66 25 (2)
100.0 78.6 214 37 16 42 13 105 @)
Finance, insurance, and real estate 100.0 713 287 72 38 67 36 7A 2
Services, 100.0 743 25.7 66 24 56 28 6s () i
* Includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits. 4 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and
2 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 oF tess. retall trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

8 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.



Table 1. CIVILIAN WORKERS BY BROAD OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES: Employer costs per hour worked for
employee compensation and costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996

Compensation Civilian workers White-collar Biue-collar Service
‘component
Cost_| Percent | Cost | Percent | Cost_| Percent | Cost | Percent
$1as2/| 100.0% | $2252 | 100.0% | $1728 | 100.0% | $10.17 |” 100.0%
1348 | 71.6 teas | 728 | 1172 |_678 7.37.) 728
534 | 284 609 | 27.4 656 | 322 280 | 27s
1.24 66 1.59 70 1.02 59 ST 56
56 30 68 30 53 30 26 25 ,
42 22 54 24 35 20 318 17
19 10 28 42 08 5 10 1.0
07 3 09 4 | 2 03 3
44 24 AS 20 61 35 18 WW?
18 10 10 4 40 23 09 9
05 3 05 2 07 4 ‘04 4
21 +1 at 16 14 8 04 4 |
129 68 4.46 65 187 79 64 63 |
05 2 06 2 05 3 02 2
1.19 63 134 60 127 74 60 59
03 2 03 4 04 2 02 2
02 A 03 a) (*) «) «)
78 40 a 44 68 39 38 37
52 27 59 26 49 28 33 32
23 12 32 14 419 14 05 5
1.59 as 1.65 73 185 | 107 103 | 101
1.08 57 128 57 98 57 61 6.0
86 48 102 45 80 47 49 48
2 14 26 12 18 uW 12 12 i
03 a 02 a 03 2 03 3 |
4 6 +40 Ss 13 7 09 3 '
38 20 24 14 70 4a 30 29 |
03 A 03 a 03 2 ©) “)
i
1 Gost per hour worked is $0.01 of ess. coxgeriod of an OAS! prion ona mediare prion. |
2 OASDI is the abbreviation for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability ‘Severance pay and supplemental unemployment

Insurance. The total employer's cost for Social Security is tenets. -



21
EXPLANATORY NOTES

Employer costs for employee compensation is a measure of the average cost per employee hour worked
to employers for wages and salaries and benefits. :

Wages and salaries are defined as the hourly straight-time wage rate, or for workers not paid on an hourly
basis, straight-time earnings divided by the corresponding hours. Straight-time wage and salary rates are total
eamings before payroll deductions, excluding premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends and holidays,
shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, and lump-sum payments provided in lieu of wage increases.
Production bonuses, incentive earnings, commission payments, and cost-of-living adjustments are included in
straight-time wage and salary rates. :

Benefits covered are: paid leave-paid vacations, holidays, sick leave, and other leave; supplemental pay-
-premium pay for overtime and work on weekends and holidays, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, and
Jump-sum payments provided in lieu of wage increases; insurance benefits--life, health, sickness and accident
insurance and long-term disability insurance; retirement and savings benefits--defined benefit and defined
contribution plans; legally required benefits--social security (OASDI and Medicare), federal and state
unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, and other benefits required by law, such as state temporary
disability insurance; and other benefits--severance pay and supplemental unemployment plans.

The Survey

Employer costs for employee compensation covers all occupations in private industry and state and local
governments, but exclude farms and households. These cost levels are published once a year with the payroll *
period including March 12 as the reference period.

The cost levels published in this release are based on a sample of about 20,500 occupations within 4,800
sample establishments in private industry and 4,600 occupations within 900 establishments in state and local
governments. The sample establishments are classified in industry categories based on the 1987 Standard
Industrial Classification (SIC) system, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Within an
establishment, specific job categories are selected to represent broader major occupational groups such as
professional specialty and technical occupations.

The cost levels are calculated with current employment weights each year. The March 1996
compensation cost levels were calculated using the March 1996 employment counts from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics Current Employment Statistics program benchmarked to the 1995 universe of all private nonfarm
establishments. For private industry, in most cases, the employment counts used were total employment
estimates for 2-digit major industry groups (such as primary metal manufacturing or food stores) as defined by
the SIC system. (For the aerospace industries, employment estimates for 4-digit industries such as aircraft
manufacturing were used.) For state and local governments, the employment counts used ranged from those for
3-digit industries such as hospitals to those for major industry divisions, such as public administration.

. The employment data from these 2-digit, 3-digit, or 4-digit industries were distributed to major
occupational groups (such as executives, administrators, and managers or machine operators, assemblers, and
inspectors) using the relative importance of the groups as estimated by the Employment Cost Index (ECT)
sample. Because the ECI establishment sample is completely replaced, industry by industry, on a 4- to 5- year
cycle, the major occupational group employment counts from the ECI are, on average, 2 to 3 years old.
However, comparisons of cost level estimates showed that differences of a few years in the age of the
occupational employment data within industries have a negligible impact on the estimates.



23

Appendix Employer costs per hour worked for components of compensation, and relative standard errors,’ by major industry and occupation
catego-ies, March 1996

Benefit costs
Industry or Occupation Total | Wages
Category Compen- | and ye Suppie- Reed | reures | omer
sation salaries Total | Paid Leave} mental pay| insurance savings | benefi benefits?
Civilian workers
‘Cost per hour worked .. sigez | $1348} $534 | $1244. sose) $129 | $0.75 sis3 | $0.03 i
Relative Error... 8% 8% 1.0% 1.5% 34% 1.4% 1.9% % 8.4% |
‘State and local goverment workers |
$2573 | $1795 | $777 | $1.99 $22} s2o7 | $1.90 $1.56 $.03 i
14% 12% 1.2% 1.5% 4.8% 1.9% 2.1% 17% 9.7% |
$1749 | $1258 | $4.91 $1.12 $49 | $1.44 $55 | $1.59 $.03
1.0% M% 1.3% 18% 3.6% 14% 3.0% 9% 9.7%
‘Good: -producing industries
Cost per hour worked . sei27 | $1438] seas | $1.43 $25 | $1.67 seo | $2.08 $07
Relative Error... 2.0% 2.0% 24% 2.8% 5.6% 27% 48% 21% | 13.5%
Service-producing industries
Cost per hour worked .. $1628 | $12.01 $427 | $1.02 $38 $.97 $47] saa | (3)
1.1% 1.0% 1.5% 2.1% 43% 14% 4.0% 1.0% | (3)
$2099 | $14.13 | Sees | $1.60 see | $172 $7 $1.86 $.08

24% 2.4% 27% 3.0% 5.7% 2.9% 5.3% 23% | 14.4%

$1669 | $12.23 $4.46 $1.00 $.40 $1.00 $51 $1.53
1.1% 1.0% 1.5% 22% 45% 1.4% 3.4% 11%

3

e

‘White -coltar occupations.

‘Cos er hour worked .. $21.10 $15.44 $5.66 $1.50 $.54 $1.28 $.66 $1.64 $.03
Rek.-ve Error... 14% | 1.4% | 18% | 23% | 57%] 17% | 4.4% 12% | 13.3%
‘Blue--oltar occupations
Cost per hour worked .. $17.04 $11.61 $5.44 $35 $.63 $1.33 $.62 ‘$1.87 $.03
Reletive Error .... 1.3% 1% 19% 2.4% 3.0% 24% 44% 17% 12.4%
Service occupations
‘Cost per hour worked . sect | $653 | $207 $36 $.14 $45 $13 | si.oo | (3)
Relative Error 11% 1.0% 20% 29% 5.1% 42% 5.8% 1.6% (8)
1 The relative error is the standard error expressed as a percent of the cost. We 2 {cludes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits.
can be 95-percent confident that the interval around the cost estimate bounded by 3 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.

‘two time. plus and two times minus the standard error contains the ‘true’ cost.



18

Table 14. PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY ESTABLISHMENT EMPLOYMENT SIZE: Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation, and
costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996

Benefit costs
Industry and occupational group, Total | Wages '
‘and employment size compen- | and ‘Supple- Retiroment ey, Other
‘sation | salaries | Total .| Paid eave | mental pay| insurance | imag benefits!
‘Cost per hour worked

All workors in private industry $17.49 $12.58 491 $1.12 $0.49 $1.14 $0.55 $1.59 $0.03

4-99 WAKES ooreene 1485 | 11.09 3.76 077 |=-0396 |~ 080 0.34 1.48 (2)
100 worcers or more 20.08 14.05 6.04 1.46 0.63 4.47 075 1.70 0.05
100-499 Workers ..n- 16.61 1190 | 472 1.03 0.50 415 0.49 152 0.02
500 v. orkers or more 2403 | 16.49 755 1.94 077 1.82 1.03 1.90 0.08
‘Goods-.sroducing industries 2 2127 | 14.38 6.89 443 0.85 1.67 0.80 2.08 0.07 |
1-89 workers 1as6 | 43.02 5.54 0.88 0.60 1.16 0.63 227 (7) |
100 workers or more 22.73 15.11 7.62 1.72 0.99 1.94 oes 1.98 0.10 |
100-499 workers 19.49 13.13 6.36 1.26 081 1.69 0.68 4.88 0.03 |
‘500 workers or more 26.11 17.18 8.94 221 17 221 att 2.07 0.17
Service-producing industries 4 16.28 12.01 427 1.02 0.38 0.97 0.47 1.44 @)
4-99 workers, 14.08 10.69 3.39 0.75 031 073 028 1.32 ()
100 workers or more. 18.88 13.58 5.32 1.33 0.46 1.25 0.68 1.57 0.02
400-99 workers ... 15.38 11.36 402 0.93 027 0.92 041 1:36 @)
23.02 16.15 687 181 057 1.63 1.00 1.82 0.04
210 | 1544 566 1.50 0.54 1.28 0.66 1.64 0.03
18.09 13.64 445, 1.10 046 0.98 0.42 1.48 2)
2395 | 17.15 6.80 1.88 0.63 1.56 0.88 1.80 0.05
19.88 | 14.61 527 1.34 0.53 123 0.58 1.87 0.02
27.60 | 19.42 8.17 2.35 072 1.86 1.16 2.01 0.08
17.04 | 11.61 5.44 0.95 0.63 1.93 0.62 1.87 0. |
15.28 | 10.90 438 0.65 0.40 0.95 0.42 1.94 (?)
1858 | 12.22 6.36 421 0.83 1.66 0.79 1.81 0.06
16.37 | 11.06 5.31 0.94 0.65 1.40 059 171 0.02
2159 | 13.80 7.80 1.58 1.06 2.02 14.07 1.95 oO.

Ali workers in private industry 71.9% | 28.1% 6.4% 28% 65% 8.1% 9.1% ©.

1-99 Workers .... 747 25.3 52 24 54 23 too “{ (2)
100 wo..cers of more . 69.9 90.1 72 3.4 73 37 85 02

100-489 WOPKBIE erence enennrnenee nen 100.0 716 28.4 62 3.0 69 3.0 94 04

500 WOIKES OF MOTD <n ennnnaninnrnnnenaenneaseenenrens] 100.0 686 314 8.1 32 78 43 79 03

676 324 67 49 78 37 98 8.
70.4 29.9 47 32 62 34 122 (?)
665 335 76 44 8s 39 87 04
674 926 65 42 87 35 97 02
658 2 85 45 85 42 79 os |
737 263 62 23 cs) 29 a8 @)
759 241 53 22 62 20 94 (?)
718 282 TA 25 66 36 83 04
739 26.1 60 24 60 27 89 (?)
702 298 79 25 7A 43 73
732 26.8 Al 26 64 31 78 O41
. 75.4 24.6 61 25 64 23 82 (?)

100 workers or more 71.6 28.4 78 26 65 37 75 02
100-499 workers .. . 735 26.5 68 27 62 29 79 0.4
500 vorkers or more 100.0 70.4 29.6 a5 26 87 42 73 03

Blue-collar occupations 100.0 68.1 31.9 56 37 78 as 11.0 02

1-99 workers ... 100.0 71.3 28.7 43 26 62 28 127 @)

100 workers or more 100.0 65.8 34.2 65 44 8s 43 97 0.3
100-489 workers .. 100.0 676 324 57 40 86 36 104 O4
500 workers oF mor 100.0 63.9 36.1 73 49 93 5.0 9.0 0s

} Includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits. 4 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; whotesale and
2 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or tess. retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

3 includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.



10

Tabie 6. PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY BROAD OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES: Employer costs per hour worked for
employee compensation, and costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996

Compensation

component

Total compensation ...

Long-term disability insurance ...
Retirement and saving:

Legally required benefits
‘Social Security

Medicare
Federal unemployment insurance
State unemployment insurance
Workers’ compensation ..

‘Other benefits? ......

All workers in
private industry

Cost | Percent

$1749 | 100.0%
12.58 719
491 28.1
4.12 64
55 32
38 22
14 8
05 3
49 28
20 41
2 14
06 3
1.14 65
04 3
1.04 59
03 2
02 a
55 34
30° Ww
25 14
159 a4
1.05 6.0
Bh 48
21 12
03 2
“12 7
40 23
03 2

White-cotlar Bive-collar Service
Cost | Percent | Cost | Percent | Cost | Percent
$21.10 100.0% | $861 | 100.0%

15.44 68.1 653 759
566 | 268 544 | 31.9 2.07 244
1.50 aN 95 56 36 42
72 34 cI 3.0 18 24
51 24 34 2.0 a 13
20 10 07 4 06 7
‘97 3 04 2 02 2
54 26 63 37 44 6
2 Al 24 07 8
37 15 9 04 4
06 07 4 03 4
128 133 78 F 52
06 05 3 «) eC)
116 123 72 At 48
‘04 104 2 r 2
03 a) () ap) @)
66 62 3.6 13 18
30 a2 25 08 9
36 20 12 05 s&
1.64 197 | 110 1.00 116
125 99 58 58 68
4.00 ‘80 47 47 55
25 19 1a a 13
03 03 2 03 4
12 13 8 09 1
24 72 42 29 33
03 a 03 2 OQ) @)

1 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.
2 OASDI!s the abbreviation for:

and Disability

for Oid-Age, Survivors,
Insurance. The total employer's cost for Social Security is

‘comprised of an OASD! portion and a medicare portion.
3 includes

benefits.

severance pay and supplemental unemployment



Table 3. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY BROAD OCCUPATIONAL AND INDUSTRY CATEGORIES: Employer costs per hour
worked for employee compensation, and costs as @ percent of total compensation, March 1996

Allworkers in Stateand | won, .

Compensation local govemments liar occupations ‘Service occupations Service industries

component
Gost Percent Cost Percent Cost Percent Cost Percent
100.0% $28.56 100.0% $18.92 100.0% $26.98 100.0%

17.95 698 20.43 nS 12.09 63.9 19.43 72.0

77 302 8.13 28.5 =+e83 |” 364 “7.55 28.0

1.99 78 2.08 73 172 a4 1.83 68

8 27 65 23 73 38 51 19

65 25 cc) 24 55 29 2 23

St 20 ST 20 33 17 54 20
15 6 a7 6 1 6 “16 ‘6 :
22 3 14 5 A2 22 15 6

aM 4 04 a 22 12 05 2

05 2 04 a a 6 05 2

06 2 06 2 08 S 05 2

2.07 81 2.19 WW 1.73 92 2.09 7

05, 2 05 2 04 2 05 2

1.98 7 2.09 73 1.66 as 2.00 74

‘Sickness and accident insurance 02 a 02 a 02 4 @) @)

‘Long-term disability insurance .. 02 a £3 a @) aan) 02 a
Retirement and savings 1.90 74 2.02 cat 171 2.0 1.88 7.0
176 69 1.86 65 1.65 87 172 64

13 5 16 06 3 15 6

1.56 61 1.67 58 122 64 1.58 58

121 47 137 48 78 44 130 48

95 37 1.07 37 61 32 1.02 38

1.0 30 1.0 17 3 28 1.0

() () (") ) a) a) «) CG)

04 2 04 1 05 04 A

‘Bt 12 26 9 38 20 24 3
03 a 038 1 03 1 03 a |

Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less. OASDI portion and a medicare portion.
2 OASDI is the abbreviation for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability 3 Includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits.

Ieurance. The total employer's cost for Social Security is comprised of an

|
|



Table 2, CIVILIAN WORKERS BY OCCUPATIONAL AND INDUSTRY GROUP: Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation,
and costs as a percent of total compensation, by occupational and Industry group, March 1896,

Benefit costs
Total | Wages
Series compen- | and - Retirement} Legally
sation | salaries and | required | | Other
Total -| Paid teave | mental pay| insurance | a.tings | bohete | benefits!
Cost per hour worked
sis4a | $534 | $124 | so4s | $iz9 | $075 | $159 | so.09
ic 16.43 6.09 1.59 AS 1.46 3 1.65 03
Protz ssional specialty and technical 30.09 | 22.10 799 2.01 4 1.86 145 2.09 04
Prevessional ... 31.14 | 23.00 8.14 2.02 55 1.90 151 2.12 04
N -rses 29.16 21.10 8.07 218 1.18 “1.52 Bt 2.36 (7)
‘Teachers .. 3146 | 23.94 752 1.49 08 2.03 1.92 1.98 03
Technical 24.94 17.69 7.25 1.96 St 1.64 1.13 1.96 205
Exe. tive, administrative, and manage! 3290 | 23.71 920 2.88 75 1.84 1.38 2.30 05
Administrative support including clerical 15.17 10.72 445 112 28 1.33 54 1417 02
17.28 11.72 5.56 1.02 61 1.87 68 1.85 03
10.17 737 2.80 ST 18 64 38 1.03 (7)
19.90 14.67 523 129 29 428 84 4.51 (2)
20.04 14.14 591 1.66 ST 1.44 64 1.58 ()
2u7t 15.10 661 1.91 68 1.65 mn 164 02
25.57 18.95 6.62 153 09 1.83 1.52 1.63 02
Elementary and secondary education 24.80 18.45 635 1.34 06 1.91 1.47 1.54 03
2929 | 21.38 7a 213 15 1.83 4.92 1.88 (?)
Percent of total compensation
100.0% | 71.6% | 284%] 6.6% 24% 68% 4.0% 85% 0.1%
100.0 728 271 79 20 65 44 73 A
100.0 734 266 67 18 62 48 7.0 a
100.0 738 26.2 65 18 61 49 68 a
100.0 72.3 27.7 75 40 $2 28 81 (7)
100.0 76.1 23.9 47 3 64 64 63 a
100.0 709 29.1 73, 20 66 45 79 2
managerial 100.0 720 28.0 8B 23 66 42 70 2
~ Aderiéstrative Support including CAC encnnssecenernee| 100.0 707 29.3 74 17 as 36 77 a
Bie-= Mar OCCUPRHIONS enneesneenetenmernenieereceneennss| 100.0 678 922 59 35 79 3.9 10.7 2
SONVIC9 OOCUPRHIONS anneveeeneneeenetnenennermnereenee| 100.0 725 27s 56 17 63 37 10.4 (7)
industry group . 2
Services 100.0 737 263 65 14 64 42 76 (?)
Health services erneeunresnnnsenseenewictisncveneee| 100.0 705 20.5 a3 28 72 82 79 (®)
Hospitals sccerewmenneeneeennne| 100.0 696 90.4 88 3.4 78 33 76 a
Educational S8°Vi08S nncemsncnctncrnnmnnrnnnnrrnenennene| 100.0 Tat 25.9 60 4 72 59 64 a
‘Elementary and secondary education 100.0 748 256 54 3 17 59 62 1
Higher education ..... 100.0 73.0 27.0 73 5 62 65 64 (?)

1 Includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits.

2 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.



19

Table 15. PRIVATE INDUSTRY HEALTH SERVICES BY OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES: Employer costs per hour worked for employee

compensation, and costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996

Benefit costs
ampen- | ane Retremeni| Legaty
Series compen- | ai upple- Othe:
sation | salaries and | required r
Total. | Paid leave |mental pay| Insurance | 5 fitg_ | benefist
Cost per hour worked
$13.34 $4.90 $1.30 $0.43 $1.14 $0.51 $1.51 (2)
18.71 6.65 482 [2 73 4-187 6 208 | (2)
21.25 7.68 221 93 4.51 7” 2.28 (2)
2046 792 221 112 1.55 71 2.32 (2)
15.04 5.19 1.26 1.16 58 1.73 (2)
‘Administrative support including clerical occupations y 10.30 416 4.05 27 1.45 56 113 (2)
Service occupations .. 11.25 8.18 3.06 an 25 78 24 1.08 (2)
21.55 15.16 6.39 1.80 71 1.63 ST 1.66 $.02 :
Professional specialty and technical occupations 26.48 18.78 7:70 219 1.08 1.69 68 2.08 02
Prof. ssional occupations .... 28.68 20.57 ast 2.38 1.22 472 7 2.26 02 |
Nurses zo4s | 2086 862 2.39 1.42 1.74 74 2.32 )
Technical occupations .. 20.14 14.04 6.09 470 66 1.60 56 1.55 02
Admin‘strative support including clerical occupations . 15.30 40.53 477 4.25 29 4.59 45 117 02
Servi: 2 occupations 13.56 922 4.34 1.05 42 1.49 32 1.06 (?)
Nursing Homes ........ 11.54, 8.58 2.96 71 22 60 12 1.30 (?)
17.91 13.43 448, 116 ai 63 21 2.01 ()
20.24 18.35 4.83 1.35 36 74 22 2.22 (2) |
15.99 11.86 4.13 1.00 46 64 20 1.83 (2)
9.43 6.93 2.50 54 19 56 09 At (?)
Percent of total compensation
73.1% | 26.8% 71% 24% 62% 28% 83% | (2)
73.8 26.2 72 29 54 26 a4 (?)
73.5 26.5 77 32 52 25 79 (?)
72.4 278 78 40 55 25 82 (2)
744 25.6 62 22 58 28 8s (2)
713 28.7 72 18 79 39 78 (2)
728 272 63 22 7.0 Pas 96 @)
704 29.6 83 33 76 26 77
70.9 291 a3 40 64 26 78
2 288 a2 42 59 25 7 {-
708 292 84 48 59 25 79
697 303 a4 33 80 28 7
638 312 81 19 104 3.0 76
68.0 32.0 WW 34 11.0 24 738
744 256 61 52 19 13 (2)
75:0 25.0 6s 38 |. 14 M2 (2)
758 242 67 37 at 11.0 @)
742 258 63 40 12 115 (2)
735 265 57 59 3 We ()

1 tnc: ides severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits.
2 Cox per hour worked is $0.01 or less.



Table 5. PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY BROAD INDUSTRY CATEGORIES: Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation, and

costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996
All workers in Goods-producing! |. Service-producing? | Manufacturing Nonmanutai
Compensation private industry toring
component.

Cost | Percent | Cost | Parent {| Cost | Percent | Cost | Percent | Cost | Percent

$1749 | 100.0% | $2127 | 100.0%.| $1628 $20.99 | 100.0%} $1669 | 100.0%

12.58 19 14.38 67.6 1201 14.13 673 12.23 733

491 284 6.89 32.4 427 26.3 6.86 827 + 4.46 26.7

1.12 64 1.43 67 1.02 62 1.60 1.00 60

$5 32 76 a6 Ag 3.0 83 49 29

38 22 5 24 34 24 58 33 2.0

4 8 a 5 “15 9 2 14 8

05 3 05 2 05 3 08 105 3
Supplemental pay 4g 28 85 40 38 23 88 42 40 24
Premium pay ... 20 at AZ 20 AB 8 A2 20 15 2
24 14 38 17 20 12 37 18 21 13

06 3 .O7 3 OS 3 09 4 05 3

Insurance .... 1.44 65 1.67 7.8 7 53 172 B2 1.00 6.0
04 3 06 3 04 2 06 3 04 2

1.04 59 152 72 88 54 1.56 75 92 58

03 2 06 3 03 2 07 3 03 2
Long-term disability insurance 02 a 02 1 02 a 02 a 02 a
Retr2ment and savings 55 31 80 37 AT 29 71 34 St 3.0
Detined benefit plans 30 W 48 23 24 15 A2 20 27 16
Defined contribution pians .. 2s 14 32 15 23 eo 29 14 24 14
Legally required benefits 1.59 94 2.08 98 144 88 4.86 89 1.53 92
Social Security 1.05 60 1.22 58 99 61 422 58 101 60
BA 48 99 46 79 43 98 47 Bt 48

21 12 24 14 20 12 24 14 20 12

03 2 03 a 03 2 03 a 03 2

12 7 16 7 at 6 13 & 1 7

40 23 ST 32 31 19 48 23 38 23
03 2 o7 3 @) a) 08 4 @) @)

ring. - ‘The total employer's cost for. Social Security is comprised of an OASDI portion
‘and public utlities; wholesale and and a medicare portion.
7 insurance, and real estate; and service industries. 4 Includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits.
% OASDI is the abbreviation for Oid-Age, Survivors, and Disability insurance. 5 Cost par hour worked Is $0.01 or less.



/- United States Zi
Department >
of Labor ;

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

Technical contact: __ USDL: 96-424 -

Wayne Shelly (202) 606-6199
Media contac«: FOR RELEASE: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Kathryn Hoyle (202) 606-5902 Thursday, October 10, 1996

EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION - MARCH 1996

Employer costs for employee compensation in the United States (private industry and state and local
governments) averaged $18.82 per hour worked in March 1996, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of
Labor Statistics reported today. Straight-time wages and salaries (71.6 percent of the costs) averaged $13.48 an
hour, and benefit costs (the remaining 28.4 percent) averaged $5.34.

Legally required benefits (e.g., social security, workers‘ compensation, unemployment insurance)
averaged $1.59 per hour worked--the largest cost to employers among the benefit categories. Legally required
benefits accounted for 8.5 percent of total compensation costs and nearly three-tenths of all benefit costs. (See
table 1.)

Other important benefit categories and their average costs per hour worked were: insurance ($1.29), paid
leave ($1.24), retirement and savings (75 cents), and supplemental pay (44 cents), which includes premium pay
for overtime, shift pay, nonproduction bonuses, and lump-sum payments provided in lieu of wage increases.

Private industry

In private industry, employer compensation costs in March 1996 averaged $17.49 per hour worked, with
straight-time wages and salaries averaging $12.58 per hour and benefit costs averaging $4.91 per hour. (See
table 5.) Compensation costs by industry and occupational group, union status, part-time and full-time status,
establishment employment size, and geographic region are displayed in chart B. Highlights for private industry
follow: . .

Compensation costs averaged more for workers in goods-producing industries ($21.27 per hour worked)
than for those in service-producing industries ($16.28). (See table 10.) In goods-producing industries,
compensation cost levels ranged from $18.88 in nondurable goods manufacturing to $22.50 in durable goods
manufacturing. Among service-producing industries, compensation costs ranged from $9.54 in retail trade to
$24.22 in transportation and public utilities.

March 1996 compensation costs also varied within industries. In health services, for example, where
compensation costs averaged $18.24 per hour worked, those costs were $11.54 in nursing homes and $21.55 in
hospitals. (See table 15.)

Among occupational categories in private industry, average compensation costs were higher for white-
collar occupations ($21.10) than for blue-collar occupations ($17.04) and service occupations ($8.61). (See



12

Table 8. PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY ESTABLISHMENT EMPLOYMENT SIZE: Employer costs per hour worked for employee
compensation, and costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996

|
All workers in 1-99 |
100 workers or more |
Private industry | - workers |
‘Compensation 100-499
‘component Total 500 workers or more
Cost | Percent | Cost | Percent workers
Cost _| Percent | Cost | Percent | Cost | Percent
‘Total compensation ... $14.85 | 100.0% | $20.09 | 100.0% | $16.61 | 100.0% | $24.03 | 100.0%
Wages and salaries . 11.09 | 74.7 14.05 | 69.9 1190 | 716 16.49 | 68.6
Total benefits 491 | 284 3.76 | 253 6.04 | 30.1 472 | 284 755 | 31.4
112 64 077 5.2 1.46 72 |° 1.03 62 1.94 Bt
oss} 32 os7 | 25 a73 | 36 0s1 | 30 098 | 41
033 | 22 027 | 18 048 | 24 026 | 21 oss | 26
014 | 08 0.10 | 06 0.18 | 09 oi | 07 a24 | 1.0
0.05 | 03 003 | 02 007 | 03 00s | “03 a.09 | 04
o49 | 28 oss | 24 oss | 3.4 050} 30 077 | 32
o2z0} 11 013 | 08 o27 | 13 o24 | 14 0.31 13
006 | 03 ) @) 010 | 05 006 | 04 0.14 | 06
o24 | 14 oz | 15 026 | 13 o21| 13 os2| 13
444] 65 oe | 54 147 | 73 115 | 69 1.82.) 76
004°} 03 003 | 02 0.05 | 03 004 | 03 0.07 | 03
Health insurance 1.04 59 0.74 5.0 1.33 66 1.05 63 1.65 69
‘Sickness and accident insurance 003 | 02 002 | 0.4 005 | 03 004 {| 02 006 | 03 |
Long-term disability insurance ... 0.02 Ot CG) @) 0.03 0.1 0.02 O41 0.04 02 |
oss] 3.4 os | 23 075 | 37 o49 | 3.0 103 | 43 |
o30| 17 oi | 1.1 043 | 22 ozs | 16 063 | 26
0.25 14 0.18 12 0.31 16 023 14 0.41 7
159} 94 1.48 | 10.0 170 | 8s 152] 94 1.90 | 79
105 |. 60 os2 | 62 117 | 58 098 | 59 138 | 57
os | 48 074 | 50 oss | 47 o79| 48 11} 46
o21 | 12 oi | 12 023] 14 019} 12 o27 | 14
unemployment ... 003 | 02 003 | 02 003 | 0.4 003 | 02 003 | 04
‘State unemployment saree 012 | 07 012 | 08 0.12) 06 012 | 07 011 | 05
Workers’ COMPENSAHION vncencenenen| O40 | 23 oat | 28 oss | 19 ose | 23 028 | 16
Other DenetHts? oecrnennr evn 0.03 02 O) (ap) 0.05 o2 0.02 O41 0.08 03 2
1 Cost per hour worked Is $0.01 orless. an OASDI portion and a medicare portion.
2 QASDI Is the abbreviation for Old-Age, Survivors, and Disablitty 3 includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits.

Insurance. The total employer's cost for Socia! Security Is comprised of



Table 7. PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY REGION AND BARGAINING STATUS: Employer costs per hour worked for emptoyee.
compensation, and costs as @ percent of total compensation, March 1996.

Region Bargaining status
component Northeast South Midwest West Union Nonunion
Cost | Percent} Cost | Percent} Cost | Percent} Cost | Percent} Cost | Percent} Cost | Percent
100.0%] $16.30 | 100.0%} $75.76 | 100:0%| $23.31 | 100.0%] $16.61 | 100.0%
72.7 159) 71.1 13.72 73.4 14.93 | - 64.1 12.23 73.6
27.3 4.71 28.9 5.06 26.9 8.38 35.9 4.39 26.4
62 1.18 63 1.63 7.0 1.04 63
32 58 34 89 38 50 3.0
22 40 21 49 24 36 22
6 15 8 7 7 13 8
2 05 3 07 3 05 3
24 si] 32 s2| 28 8] 36 aa} 27
12 23 4 19 1.0 54 23 15 3
10 22 13 27 14 17 7 25 1S
2 7 4 7 4 13 5 04 3
65 6.9 1.05 56 2.24 96 7 5.8
05 3 04 3 3 04 2 08 4 04 2
62 92 5.9 1.03 63 7 52 2.05 88 88 5.3
ams insut 06 3 03 2 03 2 02 a 08 73 03 2
.ong-term disability insurance ... 02 a 02 a 02 4 (02 1 02 aT 02 a
Retirement and savings 63 31 50 32 55 33 5S 28 1.42 57 4 26
Defined benefit plans .. 30 15 27 17 32 2.0 29 15 1.06 45 18 Ww
Defined contribution plans .. 33 16 23 1s 2 44 24 13 27 1 25 15
Legally required benefits 1.85 9.0 1.42 94 1.48 91 175 93 2.28 98 1.49 9.0
‘Social Secur 1.20 $8 94 60 98 6.0 1.14 6.1 128 55 1.01 61
OASDI" x 47 76 49 79 49 a 49 1.04 44 Bt 4.9
Medicare 24 12 19 12 19 12 22 12 25 WwW 20 12
Sederal unemployment insurance 03 2 03 2 03 2 03 2 03 a 03 2
Slate unemployment i insurance 18 3 07 5 Bel 7z 13 7 16 7 W BA
a 24 rs 24 36 22 45 24 Bt 35 33/- 20
co oot 4 03 re or} 3] 02] 4
* OASDI Is the abbreviation for Old: and Disability ASD! portion and a medicare portion

“Age, Survivors,
Insurance. ‘The total employer's cost for Social Security is comprised of an

* nodes everane pay and supiementl uremployment bene



Table 4. STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY OCCUPATIONAL AND INDUSTRY GROUP: Employer costs per hour worked for employee
compensation, and costs as a percent of total compensation, by occupational and industry group, March 1996

Benefit costs
. Total ‘Wages ~
Series % salaries ee requit Other
sation Supple red
Total -} Paid leave j mental pay| Insurance savings | benefits benefits*
Cost per hour worked
‘State and local government workers .... $25.73 $17.95 $7.77 $1.99 $0.22 $2.07 $1.90 $1.56 $0.03
28.56 20.43 8.13 2.08 14 2.19 167 03
33.81 24.86 8.95 2.07 16 2.82 1.92 04
35.14 25.97 9.17 2.08 13 2.39 1.98 04
37.56 28.14 943 1.92 06 252 2.05 08
Executive, administrative, and managerial 32.81 22.72 10.09 3.29 18 2.25 1.96 (?)
Administrative support including clericat . 16.55 10.93 561 151 09 1.92 1.05 (2)
Biue-collar occupations ... 20.88 13.56 7.82 1.95 36 1.97 1.50 03
‘Service occupations 18.92 12.09 683 172 42 1.73 171 1.22 03
Indust: , group
‘Services ... 26.98 19.43 7.55 1.83 15 2.09 1.88 1.58 03
21.86 14.49 737 2.26 57 1.79 1.18 1.56 02
22.29 14.88 741 232 55 1.74 125 1.56 03
28.21 20.59 7.62 1.74 09 2.13 2.03 4.60 03
28.04 20.58 745 1.59 06 223 1.99 4.55 04
Higt ar education 29.25 21.08 8.17 2.16 a7 1.89 247 177 @)
Public tdministration 23.39 15.24 B15 231 3 2.01 2.03 1.46 03
Percent of total compensation
‘State and local goverment workers .... 100.0% | 69.8% | 30.2% 7.8% 0.9% 8.1% 74% 6.1% 0.1%
Occupational group
White-coliar occupations .... 100.0 715 285 73 5 1 cal 58 a
: 100.0 735 265 6.1 5 69 72 57 a
100.0 73.9 26.1 59 4 68 72 56 a
100.0 749 25.1 5.1 2 67 76 54 a
100.0 69.2 30.8 10.0 5 68 73 6.0 (7)
100.0 66.4 33.9 a4 s 16 63 63 ()
100.0 649 35.1 93 17 94 72 72 a
100.0 63.9 36.1 94 22 92 9.0 64 a
100.0 720 280 68 £ 12 7.0 a
100.0 66.3 337 103 26 82 54 a
100.0 66.8 332 104 25 78 54 a
‘Educetional eee werereeereeeeeers} 100.0 73.0 27.0 62 3 76 72 a
Elementary and secondary education 734 266 57 2 8.0 7. 1
21 27.9 74 & 65 74 (7)
65.1 9 99 13 86 87 a

1 Inc. ides severance pay and supplemel
2 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or less.

intal unemployment benefits.



22.

In contrast, the ECI, which measures the change in employer costs for employee compensation, is
calculated with fixed 1990 employment counts to prevent employment shifts among occupations and industries
from influencing the changes. Therefore, year-to-year changes in the cost levels will differ from those in the ECI.

More information on the cost levels, including how the costs are calculated, appears in the article
“Analyzing employers’ costs for wages, salaries, and benefits".in the October 1987 issue of the Monthly Labor
Review. The published cost levels for March 1987 also appear in that article.

An annual bulletin is issued from the ECI program. The most recent bulletin, Employment Cost Indexes
and Levels--1975-95 (Bulletin 2466), provides historical data on ECI indexes as well as employer costs for
employee compensation data for March 1993, March 1994, and March 1995. Measures of the precision of both
the Employment Cost Index and the employer costs for employee compensation, an explanation of survey
methods, and a discussion of the published information are also included. The next annual bulletin will include
this material updated through June 1996. .

The Relative Standard Errors

Because the data are based on a sample survey, the compensation cost estimates probably differ from the
figures that would be obtained from all units covered by the survey. To determine the precision of each cost
level estimate, a standard error was calculated.

The standard error defines a range (confidence interval) around the cost estimate. The approximate 95-
percent confidence interval is the estimate plus or minus twice the standard error. The standard error also can
be expressed as a percent of the cost estimate, or the relative standard error. For example, the 95-percent
confidence interval for a cost estimate of $10 with a relative standard error of 1.0 percent would be $10.00 plus
or minus 2.0 percent (2 times 1.0 percent) or $9.80 to $10.20. One can be 95 percent confident that the "true"
cost falls within the confidence interval.

The relative standard error is shown with the cost estimates for some series in the appendix. Relative
standard errors for all published estimates are available upon request. They also will appear in the 1996 ECI
annual bulletin to be published later this year. A fuller explanation of the relative standard errors is provided in
the article, “Analyzing employers' costs for wages, salaries, and benefits," in the October 1987 issue of the
Monthly Labor Review.

Comparing Private and Public Sector Data

Aggregate compensation cost levels in state and local governments should not be compared directly with
those in private industry. Differences between the two sectors stem from a number of factors, particularly the
variation in work activities and occupational structures. Manufacturing and sales, for example, make up a large
part of private industry work activities, but are rarely found in state and local governments. White-collar
occupations account for two-thirds of the state and local government workforce (largely professional
occupations including teachers), compared with one-half in private industry.

An article examining in more detail differences in compensation levels between private industry and state
and local governments, "Cost of employee compensation in public and Private sectors," was in the May 1993
issue of the BLS publication, Monthly Labor Review.



4

Employer costs for employee compensation

Chart A. Relative importance of employer costs for employee compensation,
private industry and state and local government, March 1996
Private State and local
industry ' government
Wages and salaries 19 69.8
Benefits 28.1 30.2
Paid leave 6.4 78
Supplemental pay 2.8 0.9
Insurances 6.5 8.1
Health benefits 5.9 17
Retirement/savings 3.1 74
Legally required 9.1 6.1
Other benefits 0.2 0.1
Chart B. Employer costs for employee compensation by various categories,
private industry, March 1996
HB Wages & salaries £3 Benefits
Category
All workers
Setepehey |
White-collar H
._ Blve-collar |
Service occupations |
Union
Nonunion
Northeast
“ace !
West |
2 i VV _|
$0 $3 $6 $9 $12 $15 $18 $21 $24
Cost per hour worked

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Compensation Levels and Trends .
202.606.6199 ocltinfo@bls.gov _http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm October 1996



15

Table 11. PRIVATE GOODS-PRODUCING AND SERVICE-PRODUCING INDUSTRIES: Employer costs per hour worked for employee

compensation, and costs as # percent of total compensation, March 1996

Benefit costs
Totat | Wages
Series compen- | and Supple- Retirement] Legally
sation | salaries and | required | , Other
Total | Paid eave {menial pay| Insurance | Ninos benefits!
Cost per hour worked

$1438 | $6.89 goes | $167 | $ogo | $208 | so.07
20.01 851 a7 1.90 6 219 10
2428] 1066 137°] 2.28 4.19 2.51 14
26.18 | 11.92 155 234 127 265 14
18.78 873 83 2:10 299 242 15
2649 | 10.75 1.47 2.05 1.37 291 “12
Administrative support including clerical 16.43 14.40 5.03 50 145 a7 1.37 106
Blue-cuilee occupations tasg | 1228 631 1.06 81 7 2.05 06
Precision production, craft, 23.35 15.54 781 129 87 1.06 270 08
Mach e operators, assemblers, and inspector 16,25 10.57 5.69 1.07, 84 52 1.61 .06

‘Transportation and material moving .. 18.36 12.03 6.32 98 88 1.58 82 2.04 (3)

Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers - 14.01 9.47 454 7 55 112 57 172 (@)
Servior occtrations .. 14.43 9.58 485 92 7 124 38 4.46 10

1628 | 12.01 427 1.02 38 7 a7 1.44 (3)
19.95 | 14.73 521 1.36 48 1.18 . 61 1.56 02
27.93 | 20.58 735 1.95 72 1.50 96 2.19 03
29.31 21.67 784 2.05 82 153 36 225 03
24.29 17.72 6.58 1.68 46 1.42 37 2.02 03
31.85 | 23.32 853 270 Bi 1.66 1.09 222 05

14.07 10.91 3.15 61 38 57 27 121 3)

14.71 10.59 an 1.03 27 1.18 46 1.17 (3)

15.08 | 10.75 433 81 40 1.00 46 1.64 (3)

: 2024 | 14.43 5.20 1.35 34 1.39 ss 188 (3)
‘Transportation and material moving 16.44 | 11.46 498 78 a2 442 7 1.95 (3)
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, 10.98 7.93 3.05 AG 29 70 32 127 ()

‘Service occupations .. 8.46 6.45 2.00 35 12 43 12 98 (3)
Percent of total compensation
62% 4.0% 78% 3.7% 9.8% 0a%
84 34 67 34 WwW 4
a1 39 65 34 72 4
80 4a 62 34 mH 4
a2 30 76 36 72 5
84 34 55 37 738 3
72 30 as 29 84 4
52 43 as 49 10 3
65 37 77 46 116 3
66 52 a7 32 99 4
53 48 a7 45 WA (3)
49 39 80 40 123 (@)
Senic? OCTUPAHONS a eveenreevneerserneerntssseriserereeenne| 100.0 4 336 64 84 84 26. 10.1 7
All workers, service-producing industries’ ....cs0cene-n 100.0 737 263 62 23 59 29 88 (3)
100.0 73.9 68 24 59 34 7a
100.0 73.7 79 26 84 3.4 78
100.0 73.9 70 28 52 33 77
100.0 729 69 19 59 40 a3
100.0 732 85 26 52 34 7.0
100.0 776 44 27 48 19 BE
100.0 720 7.0 19 80 34 80
100.0 713 5.4 27 66 34 10.9
100.0 713 67 27 69 27 98
100.0 69.7 47 25 68 43 11.9
100.0 722 42 27 64 29 146
Service occupations ... 100.0 76.3 23.7 4a 14° 50 14 116
1 Includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits. 4 includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and
2 Incwudes mining, construction, and manufacturing. vetail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

3 Cost per hour worked is $0.01 or fess.



7

Table 13. PRIVATE INDUSTRY UNION AND NONUNION WORKERS: Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation, and costs

88 a percent of total compensation, March 1996

Benefit costs
Totat | Wages
Seties compen- | and Supple- Retirement| Legally
‘sation | salaries and | required | , Other
Total | Patd leave {mental pay] Insurance | Aim ved | benefits
Cost par hour worked
All unio. workers, private industry si493 | sess | $163°| soes | $224 | sisz | g228 | soo7
Blue slat OCCUPATIONS ....exooeere 14.90 8.80 1.51 1.00_ . 2.32 142 2.47 08
‘Goods producing industries «...-. 23.91 14.85. 9.06 147 as 1.13 244 140 2.50 WW
Servic’ producing industries 22.75 15.00 7.76 177 57 2.05 1.25 2.08 03
Manutz sturing 24.22 13.08 8.14 1.62 1.24 2.22 82 2.01 4
Biue-=sar occupations 21.12 12.93 B18 1.87 1.28 223 94 2.03 14
Nonmanu‘acturing 24.48 15.97 8.51 1.63 62 225 1.55 2.43 03
All nonunion workers, private industry .. 16.61 12.23 439 1.04 A4 7 AB 1.49 02
‘Biue-“ollar occupations .. 14.47 10.33 4n4 74 As 5 31 164 02
Goods ,roducing industrie: 20.35 14.21 6.44 141 76 1.40 53 1.93. 05
‘Servics-producing industries 15.63 W741 3.93 4 36 6 39 1.37 (2)
Manufacturing ......... 20.91 1449 6.42 1.59 7 1.55 64 1.81 06
Biue- liar occupations 15.85 10.73 5.14 1.02 70 1.35 A3 1.58 04
‘Nonmre, wiacturing .. 15.79 14.79 4.00 93 38 86 39 1.43 (7)
Percent of total compensation
Ail unio 1 workers, private industry 100.0% 64.1% 35.9% 7.0% 3.6% 96% 5.7% 9.8% 0.3%
‘Blue-coliar occupations .. 100.0 62.9 ot 64 42 98 6.0 10.4 7 3
‘Goods-producing industries -~ 100.0 62.1 a9 62 47 102 59 10.5 5
‘Service-producing industries 100.0 65.9 341 78 25 9.0 55 94 a
616 38.4 76 58 04 43 95 7
612 33.8 7.4 6.1 10.5 44 96 a
65.2 348 67 25 92 63 99 a
736 26.4 63 a7 5B 26 90 oa
714 28.6 SA 33 65 24 13 J
69.8 2 69 37 6s 29 95 3
149 254 60 23 55 25 Be @)
693 307 78 37 14 at 86 3
67.7 223 64 44 85 27 10.0 2
TAT 253 59 24 54 25 9.0 (?)

1 inekuxdes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits.

2 Co tper hour worked is $0.01 or less.



Note:

This release reflects changes in the way some benefits were categorized. As part of a comprehensive revision of
the BLS compensation series, called COMP2000, changes were made to improve the quality of the data and to
reflect some basic changes in the way benefits are viewed in the compensation community. The changes are:

1. Social security was divided into its components: old-age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI) and
Medicare. .

2. Long-term disability insurance was included with sickness and accident insurance prior to March 1996.
Now, it is reported as a separate benefit.

3. The pension and savings and thrift benefits under Retirément and Savings were changed to defined benefit |
and defined contribution plans. All pension and savings and thrift plans within existing sample units were |
examined to determine if they were defined benefit or defined contribution plans, and then reclassified.
Although these old and new categories are not comparable with each other, the overall category of retirement] *
and savings remains comparable.

4. Railroad retirement and unemployment insurance benefits were previously included with the legally required
benefits category. Now, railroad benefit costs have been reclassified into the benefits that match their
intended purpose (social security, retirement and savings, sickness and accident insurance, and state
unemployment insurance).

Tables: ; |
Table 1. Civilian workers by broad occupational categories 5
Table 2. Civilian workers by occupational and industry group 6
Table 3. State and local government by broad occupational and industry categories 7 |
Table 4. State and local government by occupational and industry group 8 |
Table 5. Private industry by broad industry categories 9 |
Table 6. Private industry by broad occupational categories 10
Table 7. Private industry by region and bargaining status 1]
Table 8. ‘ Private industry by establishment employment size 12
Table 9. Private industry by full-time and part-time status 13
Table 10. Private industry by occupational and industry categories 14
Table 11. Private goods-producing and service-producing industries 15
Table 12. Private manufacturing and nonmanufacturing industries 16
Table 13... __ Private industry union and nonunion workers 17
Table 14. Private industry by establishment employment size 18
Table 15. Private industry health services by occupational categories 19
Table 16. Special industries 20
Explanatory notes 21 |
Appendix. Employer costs per hour worked for components of compensation, and relative

standard errors (in percent), by major industry and occupation categories, March 1996 23



2

table 6.) The level of compensation varied by occupational group within the blue-collar and white-collar
categories: (See table 10.)

Benefits in private industry made up a larger proportion of compensation costs for blue-collar
occupations (31.9 percent) than for white-collar occupations (26.8 percent) and service occupations (24.1
percent).. (See table 10.) In goods-producing industries, benefits made up 33.9 percent of compensation costs
for blue-collar occupations, compared with 29.8 percent for white-collar occupations. The corresponding
proportions in service-producing industries were 28.7 percent and 26.1 percent, Tespectively. (See table 11.)

March 1996 compensation costs averaged more for union workeis ($23-31) in private industry than for
nonunion workers ($16.61). (See table 13.) In addition, benefits made up a larger proportion of compensation
- costs for union workers (35.9 percent) than for nonunion workers (26.4 percent). Union and nonunion cost
levels reflect a variety of influences, including variation in the distribution of union and nonunion workers among
occupations, industries, and establishment size groups.

Compensation costs in private industry increased with establishment employment size. (See table 8.)
Compensation costs averaged $14.85 per hour worked in establishments of under 100 employees, $16.61 in
establishments of 100 to 499 employees, and $24.03 in establishments of 500 or more employees.

March 1996 compensation costs for full-time workers ($20.01 per hour) were more than double those for
part-time workers ($9.19). (See table 9.) Benefit costs made up 29.2 percent of total compensation for full-time
workers and 19.8 percent for part-time workers. Employees in an establishment are classified as full time or part
time in accordance with the practices of the establishment, rather than on the basis of the number of hours
worked per week.

Compensation costs among the four census regions ranged from $15.62 to $20.57. This range of $4.95
was statistically significant. The proportion of compensation costs made up of benefits tanged from 26.9 percent
in the West to 29.1 in the Northeast. (See table 7.)

State and local governments

In state and local governments, employer costs in March 1996 averaged $25.73 per hour worked, with
straight-time wages and salaries averaging $17.95 and benefit costs averaging $7.77. (See table 4)
Compensation costs varied by type of work activity and occupational group. Highlights for state and local
governments follow:

Among work activities, average compensation costs were higher per hour worked in services (e.g., health
and educational services) than in public administratidn ($26.98 and $23.39, Tespectively). Those two categories
account for most state and local government employment.

Compensation costs in state and local governments averaged more for white-collar occupations ($28.56)
than for blue-collar ($20.88) and service occupations ($18.92). Service occupations include police and
firefighters, as well as janitors, cooks, and nursing aides.

The relative importance of March 1996 employer costs for employee benefits in state and local
governments also varied among occupational categories. Benefits accounted for 28.5 percent of compensation
costs for white-collar occupations, compared with 35.1 percent for blue-collar and 36.1 percent for service
occupations. :



13

Table 9. PRIVATE INDUSTRY BY FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME STATUS: Employer costs per hour worked for employee compensation, and
costs as a percent of total compensation, March 1996

Benefit costs
Series compen- and Retirement lt
sation | salaries Suppie- recareg | , Other

and | required
Total | Paidteave| mental pay] Insurance | Sings | powers | benefits!

Cost per hour worked

‘Atl full-time workers in private industry .... state | $585 | $198 | soso | si14o | soe7 | size | soos

17.00 6.53 179.5> 637 152 78 WwW 04
14.45 446 83 57 1.01 40 1.51 (7)
11.20 468 118 3 4.38 252 126 4
12.13 5.83 1.04 68 1.45 “87 1.96 04
7.88 2.99 63 22 76 22 415, (7)
14.53 7.01 1.46 87 1.70 Bi 2.10 o7
15.01 6.87 73 n 1.48 1.08 289 | (2)
13.46 6.54 119 99 1.69 79 179 09
cing 14.00 5.33 1.35 48 127 61 161 02
Sransyoraion and bie utilities 25.62 17.42 8.40 201 64 217 123 231 03
Whoiesale trade 19.88 14.53 5.35 1.24 49 1.35 51 1.74 02
Retail trade ...... 12.43 9.60 2.82 58 22 63 18 1.21 )
Finance insurance, and real estate 23.87 16.93 6.94 478 95 1.63 ‘88 1.66 04
‘Serv .€ industries ...... 19.58 14.26 532 4.45 43 1.23 61 159 {| (2)
All part-time workers in private industry .. 9.19 7.38 1.82 25 a5 27 13 103 | (2)
‘White aliar occupations 1471 9.41 2.30 39 22 37 a7 11s | (2)
‘Sales occupations 779 625 1.54 22 43 25 a 33] (2)
Administrative support, including clerical 8.18 201 36 43 36 16 9 | (2) |
722 2.14 2 a7 34 24 11a | (2)
523 119 MW 08 14 3 BA (7)
8.61 232 30 a 2 42 141 (2)
734 1.80 25 4 27 13 1.02 (2)
542 127 13 09 a7 07 80 | (2)
899 219 34 49 32 “13 120 } (2)

Percent of total compensation \

70.8% | 292% 69% 3.0% 70% 3.4% 88% 02%

723 277 78 27 64 33 7s 2
765 235 49 3.0 54 24 80 (?)
70.5 295 7s 24 87 33 78 a |
675 325 58 38 84 37 109 2
725 2s 58 20 79 20 108 (?)
674 926 68 49 739 38 97 3 :
68.6 31.4 33 32 62 49 132 (?)
673 927 60 50 84 39 20
724 278 70 25 65 32 83 a
675 925 78 25 84 48 89 a
73.4 269 62 25 68 26 88 a
77.3 27 46 “18 5.0 15 97 (7)
709 20.1 15 49 68 37 79
72.8 272 7A 22 63 34 84 (7)
802 19.8 27 16 29 14 U2 (?)
80.4 196 33 19 34 15 98 (2)
80.2 198 29 17 32 14 106 @)
Administrative support, including clerical 80.3 197 36 13 35 18 97 (2) |
Blue-collar occupations « 74 22.9 22 19 36 26 126 (2)
Service occupations ... 100.0 B15 18.5 17 3 22 5 132) (?)
Goods-producing industries® ....... 100.0 738 212 28 19 25 14 129 «@)
Service-producing industries’ 100.0 80.3 19.7 27 16 29 14 414 @)
Retail trade 100.0 84 18.9 20 14 25 1.0 12.0 (y
Service indu: 100.0 80.4 19.6 34 17 29 12 107 ()
|
1 Inciudes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits. 4 includes transportation, communication, and public ulifities; wholesale and
2 Cost per hour workod $0.01 ortass. ‘etal! trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

5 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.

|



16
‘Table 72. PRIVATE MANUFACTURING AND NONMANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES: Employer costs per hour worked for employee ‘
compensation, and costs as a percent of total! compensation, March 1996
Benefit costs
Total ‘Wages
Series compen. | and Suppie- Retirement} Legally | Gino,
sation | salaries and required r
Total | Paid eave |mental pay| Insurance | ting. | benefits | benefits’
Cost per hour worked
All workers, manufacturing industries $1413 | seas | sico | soss | $172 | $071-] $186 | $0.08
20.20 855 250 8B 4.93 97 2.46 1
24.i9 | 10.46 317 |. 1.19 4° 229 1.16 2.5 113
2590° | 10.99 3.35 131 2.34 123 263 13 |
19.04 886 262 85 212 97 2.15 14
26.91 10.81 3.37 1.07 2.05 141 275 14
1154 5.15 427 a7 147 48 1.39 7
17.58 11.45 6.12 120 88 1.63 60 1.73 o7 |
22.67 14.71 7.96 1.73 4112 1.95 85 2.18 13 i
16.16 1051 5.66 1.07 83 158 St 1.60 06 i
‘Transportation and material moving ... 47.60 11.57 6.02 1.08 89 185 63 “7 @) |
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers. 13.65 9.08 457 75 68 125 46 141 02
Servis occupations .. 15.55 10.09 5.46 1.07 90 1.39 AS 1.52 2
All wor’. 1s, nonmanufacturing industries... 16.69 1223 446 1.00 40 4.00 st 153 (2)
‘White- star occupations 20.11 14.82 528 137 50 120 62 1.58 02
Prote:sional specialty and 28.06 | 2064 7.42 1.96 76 151 97 2.19 03
Professional -_ 2950 | 21.76 774 207 ‘88 1.54 7 2.26 03
Tect-ical .. 24.27 17.69 659 1.68 46 4.43 37 2.02 03
Exec: Jive, administrative, managerial 32.11 23.44 867 268 86 1.68 110 2.30 05
‘Sales workers .... 14.12 10.94 3.17 62 39 4&7 27 1.21 (?)
‘Admie svative support including clerical 14.72 10.59 432 1.02 28 1.18 45 47 (?)
Biue-coliar occupations .... 16.67 1171 4.96 78 45 142 64 197 (
Precision production, craft, and repair... 21.87 15.28 659 12 7 1.50 252 E
‘Transportation and material moving 1682 | 11.63 5.19 78 a7 1:16 2.02 (
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, 11.64 832 332 43 3 74 4.44 ¢
2.00 35 12 43 12 99
Percent of total compensation
32.7% 7.6% | 42% 82% 34% 89%
29.7 87 3.0 67 34 75
302 94 34 66 34 72
298 a4 35 64 33 7A
31.8 94 31 78 35 WW
286 es 28 54 37 73
30.9 78 28 8B 29 83
268 68 5.0 23 34 99
35.1 ca 49 86 37 96
. 65.0 35.0 6s 84 cy 32 789 4
Transportation and MALTA MOVING ceeevenrectserneencnnnene| 100.0 658 B42 61 5.0 o4 | 96 10.1 ()
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers .. 100.0 665 33.5 55 50 92 33 103 4 i
SOMVICE OCCUPAHONS csrenneenesennreretsereatne 100.0 649 35.4 69 58 89 29 98 8 !
733 267 60 24 60 3.0 92 (?)
737 26.3 68 25 59 34 79 a]
73.5 26.5 7.0 27 54 35 7.8 7
73.8 26.2 70 3.0 $2 33 72 a |
72.9 274 69 19 59 49 83 a |
73.0 27.0 83 27 52 34 72 a
75 225 44 28 48 19 a6 (2)
72.0 28.0 63 19 8.0 34 8.0 (?)
702 298 47 27 67 38 118 (?) |
69.9 30.1 $4 26 69 39 115 2
69.1 30.9 46 28 69 45 12.0 @)
mS 285 37 26 64 34 124 (@)
76.3 237 44 14 5.0 wa ue | (?)

7 Includes severance pay and supplemental unemployment benefits. . 2 Cost per hour worked Is $0.01-0r less.