Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212 

Technical Contact: (202) 691-6199 USDL: 09-0872 

 NCSinfo@bls.gov 

Media Contact: (202) 691-5902 FOR RELEASE: 10:00 A.M. (EDT) 

Internet address: www.bls.gov/ebs TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009 

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS IN THE UNITED STATES, MARCH 2009 

While about 70 percent of workers in private industry had access to employer provided medical care 

benefits in March 2009, only 25 percent of the lowest wage earners – those with average hourly wages in the 

lowest 10 percent of all private industry wages – had such access, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. 

Department of Labor reported today. By contrast, nearly all workers with hourly wages in the highest 10 

percent of all private industry wages had access to medical care benefits. (See table 2.) A worker with access to 

medical care benefits is defined as having an employer-provided medical plan available for use, regardless of 

the worker’s decision to enroll or participate in the plan. These data are from the National Compensation 

Survey (NCS), which provides comprehensive measures of occupation earnings, compensation cost trends, and 

incidence and provisions of employee benefit plans. Farm and private household workers, the self-employed, 

and Federal government workers are excluded from the survey. 

 The following are additional findings: 

• Medical care benefits were available to 71 percent of private industry workers, compared with 88 

percent among State and local government workers. About half of private industry workers 

participated in a plan, less than the 73 percent of State and local government workers. (See table 2.) 

• Employers paid 82 percent of the cost of premiums for single coverage and 71 percent of the cost for 

family coverage, for workers participating in employer sponsored medical plans. The employer share 

for single coverage was greater in State and local government (90 percent) than in private industry 

(80 percent). For family coverage, the employer share of premiums was similar for private industry 

and State and local government, 70 and 73 percent, respectively. (See tables 3 and 4.) 

• Among full-time State and local government workers, virtually all (99 percent) had access to 

retirement and medical care benefits. Of full-time workers in private industry, only 76 percent had 

access to retirement benefits and 86 percent to medical care. Part-time workers had less access to 

these benefits in both private industry and in State and local government; about 40 percent of parttime workers had access to retirement benefits and about 25 percent had access to medical care 

benefits. (See tables 1 and 2.) 

• Sixty-seven percent of private industry employees had access to retirement benefits, compared with 

90 percent of State and local government employees. Eighty-six percent of State and local 

government employees participated in a retirement plan, a significantly greater percentage than for 

private industry workers, at 51 percent. (See table 1.) The NCS has broadened the definition of 

access to retirement benefits. For more detail on this change, see the article in Compensation and 

Working Conditions Online at http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cm20081219ar01p1.htm. 

 

News United States 

Department 

of Labor
2

 

• Paid sick leave was available to approximately two-thirds of workers. Nearly 90 percent of State and 

local government workers had access, significantly greater than the approximately 60 percent of 

private industry workers. (See table 6.) 

The incidence of employee benefits varied by worker characteristics and by establishment characteristics. 

For example, private industry workers in service occupations have less access to medical care benefits (46 

percent) than private industry management, professional, and related workers (86 percent). Also, patterns of 

incidence varied between private industry and State and local government. State and local government workers 

in service occupations have less access to medical care than in management, professional, and related 

occupations (81 and 90 percent, respectively). The disparity between these two occupational groups is larger in 

private industry (46 and 86 percent, respectively). 

Access to paid holidays and paid vacation leave was greater for professional and related workers in 

private industry (85 and 83 percent, respectively) than in State and local government (51 and 37 percent, 

respectively). This is due in part to the fact that in State and local government, teachers make up a larger 

percent of the professional and related occupations than in private industry. Teachers and other employees in 

educational services are commonly employed on the basis of 9-month contracts, and often do not receive formal 

paid holiday and vacation benefits. (See Technical Note for more information on this topic.) 

More information can be obtained by calling (202) 691-6199, sending e-mail to NCSinfo@bls.gov, or by 

visiting the BLS Internet site, http://www.bls.gov/ncs/home.htm. Also, BLS Regional Information offices, 

which are listed on the Internet site, http://www.bls.gov/bls/regncon.htm, are available to answer questions. 

More information will be published later this summer. Included will be March 2009 data for civilian, 

private industry, and State and local government workers on the incidence and provisions of health care 

benefits, retirement benefits, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability benefits, paid holidays and 

vacations, and other selected benefits. These results will be found on the BLS Web site 

http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs. 

In addition, starting in the fall of 2009, new editions of Program Perspectives will be published, and these 

publications will feature the latest benefits data. Program Perspectives brings together employee benefits 

information from various National Compensation Survey publications into one convenient and easy-to-read 

publication. For the latest publication, see: http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs. 
3

Table 1. Retirement benefits:1 Access, participation, and take-up rates,2 National Compensation Survey, March 2009

(All workers = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Civilian3 Private industry State and local government

Access Participation Take-up

rate Access Participation Take-uprate Access Participation Take-uprate

All workers ............................................................. 71 57 80 67 51 77 90 86 95

Worker characteristics

Management, professional, and related ................ 83 75 89 80 69 87 92 87 95

Management, business, and financial ............... 87 79 91 86 77 90 – – –

Professional and related .................................... 82 73 89 77 65 85 91 87 95

Teachers ........................................................ 85 81 94 – – – 91 88 96

Primary, secondary, and special education

school teachers ........................................ 92 88 96 – – – 97 94 97

Registered nurses ......................................... 81 69 85 – – – 94 86 92

Service ................................................................... 51 34 67 45 26 57 84 79 95

Protective service .............................................. 71 59 84 44 23 51 91 86 95

Sales and office ..................................................... 73 57 78 71 54 75 90 87 96

Sales and related ............................................... 67 44 66 67 44 66 – – –

Office and administrative support ...................... 77 64 84 74 60 81 91 88 96

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 70 57 81 68 53 79 94 91 97

Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and

forestry ............................................................. 67 53 79 64 49 76 – – –

Installation, maintenance, and repair ................. 74 61 83 72 59 81 – – –

Production, transportation, and material moving ... 70 54 78 69 53 77 88 85 97

Production ......................................................... 70 57 80 70 56 80 – – –

Transportation and material moving .................. 69 52 76 68 50 74 – – –

Full time ................................................................. 80 67 84 76 61 80 99 95 96

Part time ................................................................ 40 23 59 39 22 55 41 37 89

Union ..................................................................... 92 87 95 87 82 94 97 94 96

Nonunion ............................................................... 67 51 77 65 48 74 84 79 95

Wage percentiles:4

Lowest 10 percent ............................................. 34 15 44 35 15 43 58 54 92

Lowest 25 percent ............................................. 46 26 57 43 23 52 74 69 94

Second 25 percent ............................................ 72 56 78 69 50 73 94 89 95

Third 25 percent ................................................ 80 68 86 76 63 83 95 91 96

Highest 25 perecent .......................................... 88 81 91 84 75 89 97 94 96

Highest 10 percent ............................................ 90 82 92 86 78 90 97 94 96

See footnotes at end of table.
4

Table 1. Retirement benefits:1 Access, participation, and take-up rates,2 National Compensation Survey, March

2009—Continued

(All workers = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Civilian3 Private industry State and local government

Access Participation Take-up

rate Access Participation Take-uprate Access Participation Take-uprate

Establishment characteristics

Goods-producing industries ................................... 75 63 83 75 62 83 – – –

Service-providing industries .................................. 70 56 80 65 49 75 90 85 95

Education and health services ........................... 79 68 86 71 56 79 91 87 95

Educational services ...................................... 88 83 94 75 63 84 91 87 96

Elementary and secondary schools ........... 91 87 96 – – – 93 90 97

Junior colleges, colleges, and universities 87 79 91 88 78 88 86 79 92

Health care and social assistance ................. 72 57 80 70 55 78 92 83 90

Hospitals .................................................... 89 77 87 – – – 93 83 90

Public administration ......................................... 89 85 96 – – – 89 85 96

1 to 99 workers ...................................................... 54 38 71 53 36 69 78 75 96

1 to 49 workers .................................................. 49 35 70 48 33 69 72 68 95

50 to 99 workers ................................................ 68 48 71 66 46 69 88 85 97

100 workers or more .............................................. 85 73 86 83 68 82 91 87 95

100 to 499 workers ............................................ 80 64 80 79 61 77 87 83 95

500 workers or more .......................................... 90 81 91 88 77 88 93 89 95

Geographic areas

New England ......................................................... 66 55 83 63 50 80 86 83 97

Middle Atlantic ....................................................... 72 62 86 69 58 84 92 86 94

East North Central ................................................. 72 59 81 70 55 78 85 82 97

West North Central ................................................ 73 60 81 70 55 79 89 81 91

South Atlantic ........................................................ 72 56 77 68 49 72 91 85 94

East South Central ................................................ 73 56 77 69 49 71 90 86 96

West South Central ............................................... 67 51 77 62 44 71 90 88 98

Mountain ................................................................ 69 55 80 66 50 76 89 86 97

Pacific .................................................................... 68 55 82 63 49 77 92 89 97

1 Includes defined benefit pension plans and defined contribution retirement plans.

Workers are considered as having access or as participating if they have access to or

participate in at least one of these plan types. 2 The take-up rate is an estimate of the percentage of workers with access to a plan

who participate in the plan, rounded for presentation. See Technical Note for more details. 3 Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy except those in private households,

and workers in the public sector, except the federal government. See Technical Note for

further explanation. 4 The percentile groupings are based on the average wage for each occupation

surveyed, which may include workers both above and below the threshold. The percentile

values are based on the estimates published in the "National Compensation Survey:

Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2008." See Technical Note for more details.

NOTE: Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not meet publication criteria.
5

Table 2. Medical care benefits: Access, participation, and take-up rates,1 National Compensation Survey, March 2009

(All workers = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Civilian2 Private industry State and local government

Access Participation Take-up

rate Access Participation Take-uprate Access Participation Take-uprate

All workers ............................................................. 74 56 76 71 52 74 88 73 84

Worker characteristics

Management, professional, and related ................ 87 69 80 86 67 78 90 74 82

Management, business, and financial ............... 94 76 81 94 76 81 – – –

Professional and related .................................... 84 67 79 82 63 77 89 73 82

Teachers ........................................................ 84 67 80 – – – 89 73 82

Primary, secondary, and special education

school teachers ........................................ 92 73 80 – – – 95 77 82

Registered nurses ......................................... 78 60 77 – – – 92 73 79

Service ................................................................... 51 35 69 46 29 63 81 69 85

Protective service .............................................. 75 60 80 56 36 65 89 77 87

Sales and office ..................................................... 73 53 72 72 51 70 88 75 84

Sales and related ............................................... 63 41 65 63 41 65 – – –

Office and administrative support ...................... 79 59 75 78 57 73 89 75 84

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 78 63 81 77 61 80 95 83 88

Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and

forestry ............................................................. 73 59 82 70 57 81 – – –

Installation, maintenance, and repair ................. 85 68 80 84 66 79 – – –

Production, transportation, and material moving ... 77 59 76 77 58 76 83 70 84

Production ......................................................... 82 66 81 82 66 81 – – –

Transportation and material moving .................. 72 52 71 72 51 71 – – –

Full time ................................................................. 88 68 77 86 65 75 99 83 84

Part time ................................................................ 24 14 58 24 13 56 27 19 71

Union ..................................................................... 92 78 84 90 76 85 95 80 84

Nonunion ............................................................... 70 51 73 69 49 72 81 68 83

Wage percentiles:3

Lowest 10 percent ............................................. 26 13 51 25 13 50 51 40 78

Lowest 25 percent ............................................. 42 25 59 38 22 57 68 56 81

Second 25 percent ............................................ 79 58 74 77 54 71 91 79 86

Third 25 percent ................................................ 87 69 80 86 67 78 95 79 84

Highest 25 perecent .......................................... 92 74 81 89 72 81 97 80 83

Highest 10 percent ............................................ 92 75 81 90 73 80 97 80 83

See footnotes at end of table.
6

Table 2. Medical care benefits: Access, participation, and take-up rates,1 National Compensation Survey, March

2009—Continued

(All workers = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Civilian2 Private industry State and local government

Access Participation Take-up

rate Access Participation Take-uprate Access Participation Take-uprate

Establishment characteristics

Goods-producing industries ................................... 85 70 82 85 70 82 – – –

Service-providing industries .................................. 71 53 74 68 48 71 88 73 83

Education and health services ........................... 80 61 76 75 53 71 89 73 82

Educational services ...................................... 86 70 81 78 58 75 88 72 82

Elementary and secondary schools ........... 88 70 80 – – – 89 72 81

Junior colleges, colleges, and universities 87 73 83 90 71 79 86 74 86

Health care and social assistance ................. 76 55 72 74 53 71 91 76 83

Hospitals .................................................... 88 69 79 – – – 94 76 81

Public administration ......................................... 88 76 86 – – – 88 76 86

1 to 99 workers ...................................................... 60 43 72 59 42 72 75 64 86

1 to 49 workers .................................................. 56 40 72 55 39 71 69 59 86

50 to 99 workers ................................................ 72 53 73 71 51 72 85 73 85

100 workers or more .............................................. 86 66 77 84 63 75 89 74 83

100 to 499 workers ............................................ 81 61 75 81 59 73 84 72 86

500 workers or more .......................................... 89 71 80 88 69 78 91 75 82

Geographic areas

New England ......................................................... 72 53 73 70 50 71 85 69 81

Middle Atlantic ....................................................... 75 59 79 72 55 76 87 78 90

East North Central ................................................. 73 54 74 72 53 73 81 63 78

West North Central ................................................ 71 54 77 68 52 75 83 68 82

South Atlantic ........................................................ 75 55 74 72 51 71 91 75 83

East South Central ................................................ 78 60 78 74 56 75 93 79 84

West South Central ............................................... 70 52 74 66 47 71 90 76 84

Mountain ................................................................ 72 51 71 69 48 70 87 69 79

Pacific .................................................................... 75 59 79 72 56 78 90 77 86

1 The take-up rate is an estimate of the percentage of workers with access to a plan

who participate in the plan, rounded for presentation. See Technical Note for more details. 2 Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy except those in private households,

and workers in the public sector, except the federal government. See Technical Note for

further explanation. 3 The percentile groupings are based on the average wage for each occupation

surveyed, which may include workers both above and below the threshold. The percentile

values are based on the estimates published in the "National Compensation Survey:

Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2008." See Technical Note for more details.

NOTE: Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not meet publication criteria.
7

Table 3. Medical plans: Share of premiums paid by employer and employee for single

coverage, National Compensation Survey, March 2009

(In percent)

Characteristics

Civilian1 Private industry State and local

government

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

All workers participating in single coverage

medical plans ....................................................... 82 18 80 20 90 10

Worker characteristics

Management, professional, and related ................ 84 16 81 19 90 10

Management, business, and financial ............... 83 17 81 19 – –

Professional and related .................................... 84 16 81 19 89 11

Teachers ........................................................ 89 11 – – 90 10

Primary, secondary, and special education

school teachers ........................................ 89 11 – – 90 10

Registered nurses ......................................... 82 18 – – 87 13

Service ................................................................... 82 18 78 22 90 10

Protective service .............................................. 85 15 71 29 90 10

Sales and office ..................................................... 80 20 79 21 90 10

Sales and related ............................................... 76 24 76 24 – –

Office and administrative support ...................... 82 18 81 19 90 10

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 83 17 82 18 90 10

Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and

forestry ............................................................. 85 15 85 15 – –

Installation, maintenance, and repair ................. 81 19 80 20 – –

Production, transportation, and material moving ... 82 18 82 18 91 9

Production ......................................................... 82 18 82 18 – –

Transportation and material moving .................. 83 17 82 18 – –

Full time ................................................................. 83 17 81 19 90 10

Part time ................................................................ 79 21 78 22 88 12

Union ..................................................................... 91 9 90 10 91 9

Nonunion ............................................................... 80 20 79 21 89 11

Wage percentiles:2

Lowest 10 percent ............................................. 75 25 75 25 89 11

Lowest 25 percent ............................................. 77 23 76 24 90 10

Second 25 percent ............................................ 81 19 79 21 90 10

Third 25 percent ................................................ 83 17 81 19 90 10

Highest 25 perecent .......................................... 85 15 83 17 90 10

Highest 10 percent ............................................ 85 15 82 18 91 9

See footnotes at end of table.
8

Table 3. Medical plans: Share of premiums paid by employer and employee for single

coverage, National Compensation Survey, March 2009—Continued

(In percent)

Characteristics

Civilian1 Private industry State and local

government

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Establishment characteristics

Goods-producing industries ................................... 82 18 82 18 – –

Service-providing industries .................................. 82 18 80 20 90 10

Education and health services ........................... 85 15 82 18 90 10

Educational services ...................................... 88 12 82 18 90 10

Elementary and secondary schools ........... 89 11 – – 90 10

Junior colleges, colleges, and universities 87 13 80 20 90 10

Health care and social assistance ................. 83 17 82 18 87 13

Hospitals .................................................... 82 18 – – 88 12

Public administration ......................................... 90 10 – – 90 10

1 to 99 workers ...................................................... 81 19 80 20 91 9

1 to 49 workers .................................................. 81 19 81 19 92 8

50 to 99 workers ................................................ 81 19 79 21 91 9

100 workers or more .............................................. 83 17 81 19 90 10

100 to 499 workers ............................................ 82 18 80 20 90 10

500 workers or more .......................................... 85 15 81 19 89 11

Geographic areas

New England ......................................................... 79 21 78 22 87 13

Middle Atlantic ....................................................... 84 16 82 18 93 7

East North Central ................................................. 81 19 79 21 90 10

West North Central ................................................ 82 18 80 20 91 9

South Atlantic ........................................................ 81 19 79 21 88 12

East South Central ................................................ 81 19 78 22 91 9

West South Central ............................................... 83 17 82 18 87 13

Mountain ................................................................ 82 18 79 21 92 8

Pacific .................................................................... 85 15 84 16 89 11

1 Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy except those

in private households, and workers in the public sector, except the

federal government. See Technical Note for further explanation. 2 The percentile groupings are based on the average wage for

each occupation surveyed, which may include workers both above

and below the threshold. The percentile values are based on the

estimates published in the "National Compensation Survey:

Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2008." See Technical

Note for more details.

NOTE: Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not

meet publication criteria.
9

Table 4. Medical plans: Share of premiums paid by employer and employee for family

coverage, National Compensation Survey, March 2009

(In percent)

Characteristics

Civilian1 Private industry State and local

government

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

All workers participating in family coverage

medical plans ....................................................... 71 29 70 30 73 27

Worker characteristics

Management, professional, and related ................ 71 29 71 29 72 28

Management, business, and financial ............... 72 28 71 29 – –

Professional and related .................................... 71 29 71 29 71 29

Teachers ........................................................ 69 31 – – 70 30

Primary, secondary, and special education

school teachers ........................................ 67 33 – – 68 32

Registered nurses ......................................... 71 29 – – 75 25

Service ................................................................... 69 31 66 34 75 25

Protective service .............................................. 76 24 66 34 79 21

Sales and office ..................................................... 68 32 67 33 76 24

Sales and related ............................................... 65 35 64 36 – –

Office and administrative support ...................... 70 30 69 31 75 25

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 72 28 71 29 76 24

Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and

forestry ............................................................. 73 27 72 28 – –

Installation, maintenance, and repair ................. 71 29 71 29 – –

Production, transportation, and material moving ... 74 26 74 26 75 25

Production ......................................................... 75 25 75 25 – –

Transportation and material moving .................. 73 27 73 27 – –

Full time ................................................................. 71 29 70 30 73 27

Part time ................................................................ 68 32 67 33 76 24

Union ..................................................................... 84 16 86 14 81 19

Nonunion ............................................................... 67 33 67 33 66 34

Wage percentiles:2

Lowest 10 percent ............................................. 61 39 63 37 61 39

Lowest 25 percent ............................................. 63 37 63 37 67 33

Second 25 percent ............................................ 68 32 67 33 76 24

Third 25 percent ................................................ 72 28 70 30 73 27

Highest 25 perecent .......................................... 74 26 74 26 76 24

Highest 10 percent ............................................ 76 24 74 26 81 19

See footnotes at end of table.
10

Table 4. Medical plans: Share of premiums paid by employer and employee for family

coverage, National Compensation Survey, March 2009—Continued

(In percent)

Characteristics

Civilian1 Private industry State and local

government

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Employer

share of

premium

Employee

share of

premium

Establishment characteristics

Goods-producing industries ................................... 75 25 75 25 – –

Service-providing industries .................................. 70 30 68 32 73 27

Education and health services ........................... 69 31 68 32 70 30

Educational services ...................................... 69 31 68 32 69 31

Elementary and secondary schools ........... 68 32 – – 68 32

Junior colleges, colleges, and universities 71 29 69 31 72 28

Health care and social assistance ................. 69 31 68 32 76 24

Hospitals .................................................... 74 26 – – 75 25

Public administration ......................................... 79 21 – – 79 21

1 to 99 workers ...................................................... 66 34 66 34 72 28

1 to 49 workers .................................................. 66 34 66 34 71 29

50 to 99 workers ................................................ 67 33 66 34 74 26

100 workers or more .............................................. 73 27 73 27 73 27

100 to 499 workers ............................................ 71 29 70 30 74 26

500 workers or more .......................................... 75 25 76 24 73 27

Geographic areas

New England ......................................................... 73 27 71 29 83 17

Middle Atlantic ....................................................... 77 23 74 26 91 9

East North Central ................................................. 75 25 73 27 85 15

West North Central ................................................ 71 29 71 29 71 29

South Atlantic ........................................................ 66 34 66 34 66 34

East South Central ................................................ 64 36 66 34 58 42

West South Central ............................................... 63 37 66 34 54 46

Mountain ................................................................ 67 33 67 33 70 30

Pacific .................................................................... 73 27 71 29 79 21

1 Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy except those

in private households, and workers in the public sector, except the

federal government. See Technical Note for further explanation. 2 The percentile groupings are based on the average wage for

each occupation surveyed, which may include workers both above

and below the threshold. The percentile values are based on the

estimates published in the "National Compensation Survey:

Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2008." See Technical

Note for more details.

NOTE: Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not

meet publication criteria.
11

Table 5. Life insurance benefits: Access, participation, and take-up rates,1 National Compensation Survey, March 2009

(All workers = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Civilian2 Private industry State and local government

Access Participation Take-up

rate Access Participation Take-uprate Access Participation Take-uprate

All workers ............................................................. 62 60 96 59 57 96 80 78 97

Worker characteristics

Management, professional, and related ................ 78 76 98 77 75 98 80 78 97

Management, business, and financial ............... 85 84 99 85 84 99 – – –

Professional and related .................................... 75 73 98 73 71 98 80 77 97

Teachers ........................................................ 74 72 98 – – – 79 77 97

Primary, secondary, and special education

school teachers ........................................ 78 77 98 – – – 83 81 98

Registered nurses ......................................... 69 67 97 – – – 83 81 97

Service ................................................................... 42 39 93 36 33 92 75 73 97

Protective service .............................................. 72 70 97 54 51 94 85 83 98

Sales and office ..................................................... 61 58 96 59 56 95 81 79 97

Sales and related ............................................... 48 45 92 48 44 92 – – –

Office and administrative support ...................... 68 66 97 66 64 97 81 79 98

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 60 57 96 57 54 95 90 89 99

Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and

forestry ............................................................. 51 49 95 47 44 94 – – –

Installation, maintenance, and repair ................. 69 67 97 67 65 97 – – –

Production, transportation, and material moving ... 66 64 96 66 63 96 77 76 98

Production ......................................................... 72 70 97 72 70 97 – – –

Transportation and material moving .................. 61 58 96 60 57 95 – – –

Full time ................................................................. 76 73 97 73 70 96 90 88 98

Part time ................................................................ 16 15 90 15 14 89 24 22 95

Union ..................................................................... 83 81 98 79 77 98 87 85 98

Nonunion ............................................................... 59 56 96 57 54 96 74 71 97

Wage percentiles:3

Lowest 10 percent ............................................. 17 15 87 17 15 87 43 41 95

Lowest 25 percent ............................................. 32 29 90 28 25 89 61 59 97

Second 25 percent ............................................ 66 63 96 64 61 95 84 81 97

Third 25 percent ................................................ 74 72 97 71 69 97 86 84 98

Highest 25 perecent .......................................... 82 81 98 79 78 99 89 87 98

Highest 10 percent ............................................ 84 83 98 82 81 99 90 87 97

See footnotes at end of table.
12

Table 5. Life insurance benefits: Access, participation, and take-up rates,1 National Compensation Survey, March

2009—Continued

(All workers = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Civilian2 Private industry State and local government

Access Participation Take-up

rate Access Participation Take-uprate Access Participation Take-uprate

Establishment characteristics

Goods-producing industries ................................... 71 69 97 71 69 97 – – –

Service-providing industries .................................. 61 58 96 56 54 96 80 77 97

Education and health services ........................... 70 68 97 64 62 96 79 77 97

Educational services ...................................... 77 75 98 68 67 99 79 77 97

Elementary and secondary schools ........... 76 75 98 – – – 78 76 98

Junior colleges, colleges, and universities 84 80 96 86 85 99 82 77 94

Health care and social assistance ................. 65 62 96 63 61 96 83 80 97

Hospitals .................................................... 86 84 98 – – – 89 86 96

Public administration ......................................... 82 80 98 – – – 82 80 98

1 to 99 workers ...................................................... 44 42 95 43 41 95 65 63 97

1 to 49 workers .................................................. 39 37 94 39 36 94 62 61 98

50 to 99 workers ................................................ 57 54 96 56 53 96 69 66 96

100 workers or more .............................................. 78 76 97 77 75 97 82 80 97

100 to 499 workers ............................................ 71 68 96 71 68 95 73 71 98

500 workers or more .......................................... 85 83 98 85 84 98 85 83 97

Geographic areas

New England ......................................................... 60 58 97 58 56 97 72 69 96

Middle Atlantic ....................................................... 60 59 98 56 55 98 85 84 99

East North Central ................................................. 66 64 96 64 62 97 78 75 96

West North Central ................................................ 63 61 97 60 58 97 77 77 99

South Atlantic ........................................................ 66 63 96 62 60 96 84 81 96

East South Central ................................................ 67 64 95 64 61 96 79 74 93

West South Central ............................................... 61 57 93 58 53 91 76 75 99

Mountain ................................................................ 61 57 95 57 53 94 83 82 98

Pacific .................................................................... 57 55 96 53 51 96 77 76 99

1 The take-up rate is an estimate of the percentage of workers with access to a plan

who participate in the plan, rounded for presentation. See Technical Note for more details. 2 Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy except those in private households,

and workers in the public sector, except the federal government. See Technical Note for

further explanation. 3 The percentile groupings are based on the average wage for each occupation

surveyed, which may include workers both above and below the threshold. The percentile

values are based on the estimates published in the "National Compensation Survey:

Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2008." See Technical Note for more details.

NOTE: Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not meet publication criteria.
13

Table 6. Selected paid leave benefits: Access, National Compensation Survey, March 2009

(All workers = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Civilian1 Private industry State and local government

Paid sick

leave

Paid

vacation

Paid

holidays

Paid sick

leave

Paid

vacation

Paid

holidays

Paid sick

leave

Paid

vacation

Paid

holidays

All workers ............................................................. 66 75 76 61 78 77 89 60 68

Worker characteristics

Management, professional, and related ................ 86 74 79 84 87 89 90 44 56

Management, business, and financial ............... 90 94 95 89 96 96 – – –

Professional and related .................................... 85 67 73 82 83 85 90 37 51

Teachers ........................................................ 84 17 35 – – – 88 12 32

Primary, secondary, and special education

school teachers ........................................ 91 13 32 – – – 93 9 28

Registered nurses ......................................... 78 80 82 – – – 92 79 81

Service ................................................................... 49 63 57 42 61 53 85 75 77

Protective service .............................................. 66 78 74 35 65 59 89 87 86

Sales and office ..................................................... 69 81 82 66 80 81 90 85 87

Sales and related ............................................... 56 72 71 56 72 71 – – –

Office and administrative support ...................... 76 86 88 74 86 88 91 86 87

Natural resources, construction, and maintenance 53 78 79 49 76 77 94 95 95

Construction, extraction, farming, fishing, and

forestry ............................................................. 39 66 67 33 63 64 – – –

Installation, maintenance, and repair ................. 69 91 92 67 91 91 – – –

Production, transportation, and material moving ... 53 82 84 52 83 84 88 64 76

Production ......................................................... 53 90 91 52 90 91 – – –

Transportation and material moving .................. 54 75 77 52 76 78 – – –

Full time ................................................................. 77 86 87 73 91 89 98 67 75

Part time ................................................................ 28 36 38 26 38 39 42 20 31

Union ..................................................................... 82 73 79 69 85 86 97 57 70

Nonunion ............................................................... 63 76 75 61 77 76 83 62 66

Wage percentiles:2

Lowest 10 percent ............................................. 22 43 37 21 42 36 60 39 46

Lowest 25 percent ............................................. 37 56 54 33 55 52 75 55 63

Second 25 percent ............................................ 68 83 84 64 85 84 92 84 87

Third 25 percent ................................................ 77 88 89 73 89 89 94 72 77

Highest 25 perecent .......................................... 86 77 80 81 88 88 96 37 51

Highest 10 percent ............................................ 88 74 77 84 88 88 98 35 47

See footnotes at end of table.
14

Table 6. Selected paid leave benefits: Access, National Compensation Survey, March 2009—Continued

(All workers = 100 percent)

Characteristics

Civilian1 Private industry State and local government

Paid sick

leave

Paid

vacation

Paid

holidays

Paid sick

leave

Paid

vacation

Paid

holidays

Paid sick

leave

Paid

vacation

Paid

holidays

Establishment characteristics

Goods-producing industries ................................... 53 86 87 52 86 87 – – –

Service-providing industries .................................. 68 73 74 63 76 75 89 60 68

Education and health services ........................... 82 66 72 77 80 82 90 43 56

Educational services ...................................... 87 40 54 76 54 64 90 36 51

Elementary and secondary schools ........... 90 27 44 – – – 90 27 43

Junior colleges, colleges, and universities 86 69 79 82 73 81 88 66 78

Health care and social assistance ................. 78 85 85 77 84 84 91 91 91

Hospitals .................................................... 88 91 89 – – – 92 94 93

Public administration ......................................... 89 88 87 – – – 89 88 87

1 to 99 workers ...................................................... 53 70 69 52 71 69 79 66 70

1 to 49 workers .................................................. 52 69 68 51 69 68 73 69 69

50 to 99 workers ................................................ 56 75 74 54 76 74 88 63 71

100 workers or more .............................................. 77 79 81 72 86 86 91 59 67

100 to 499 workers ............................................ 70 80 81 67 84 84 87 59 63

500 workers or more .......................................... 84 78 82 80 90 89 92 59 69

Geographic areas

New England ......................................................... 73 73 75 70 77 78 87 49 55

Middle Atlantic ....................................................... 71 76 78 67 79 81 90 58 63

East North Central ................................................. 60 74 76 56 78 77 85 53 65

West North Central ................................................ 66 73 74 62 77 75 88 55 68

South Atlantic ........................................................ 64 78 78 59 80 78 93 67 78

East South Central ................................................ 63 77 77 55 79 77 92 69 75

West South Central ............................................... 65 75 75 61 79 80 86 52 53

Mountain ................................................................ 62 72 71 59 75 74 84 55 59

Pacific .................................................................... 70 75 74 65 77 74 93 67 76

1 Includes workers in the private nonfarm economy except those in private

households, and workers in the public sector, except the federal government. See

Technical Note for further explanation. 2 The percentile groupings are based on the average wage for each occupation

surveyed, which may include workers both above and below the threshold. The

percentile values are based on the estimates published in the "National Compensation

Survey: Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2008." See Technical Note for more

details.

NOTE: Dash indicates no workers in this category or data did not meet publication

criteria.
15

Technical Note 

Data in this release are from the National Compensation Survey (NCS), conducted by the U.S. 

Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This release contains March 2009 data on civilian, 

private industry, and State and local government workers in the United States. Under the NCS program, 

information on the incidence and provision of benefits is published in several stages. This news release 

provides data on the incidence of (access to and participation in) selected benefits and the share of premiums 

paid by employers and employees for medical care. An extensive number of tables on the incidence of selected 

benefits will be available in the annual bulletin to be published in late summer, 2009. Data on detailed 

provisions of health insurance and retirement benefits in private industry for 2009 will be available in 2010. 

Previous publications containing information on employee benefits for private industry and State and local 

government workers are available on the BLS website http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs. 

Calculation details

Averages for occupations within an establishment were used to produce estimates for worker groups 

averaging hourly pay within the six earnings percentiles: Lowest 10 percent, lowest 25 percent, second 25 

percent, third 25 percent, highest 25 percent, and highest 10 percent. The percentiles are computed using 

earnings reported for individual workers in sampled establishment jobs and their scheduled hours of work. 

Establishments in the survey may report only individual worker earnings for each sampled job. For the 

calculation of percentile estimates, the individual worker hourly earnings are appropriately weighted and then 

arrayed from lowest to highest. 

The published 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles designate position in the earnings distribution 

within each published occupation. At the 50th percentile, the median, half of the hours are paid the same as or 

more than the rate shown in the data tables, and half are paid the same as or less than the rate shown. At the 

25th percentile, one-fourth of the hours are paid the same as or less than the rate shown. At the 75th percentile, 

one-fourth are paid the same as or more than the rate shown. The 10th and 90th percentiles follow the same 

logic. The percentile values are based on wages to be published in the bulletin National Compensation Survey: 

Occupational Earnings in the United States, 2008. Values corresponding to the percentiles used in the tables 

are as follows:

Characteristics 

Hourly wage percentiles 

10 25 50 

(median) 75 90 

Civilian workers $8.24 $11.00 $16.25 $25.48 $37.86

Private industry workers $8.00 $10.50 $15.50 $24.22 $36.43

State and local government workers $11.35 $14.98 $21.43 $31.55 $43.23

The tables on employer and employee medical premiums (tables 3 and 4) include participants in all 

medical plans, with calculations for both single and family coverage. The calculations are not based on actual 

decisions regarding medical coverage made by employees within the occupations. Rather, the premium 

calculations are based on the assumption that all employees in the occupation have identical coverage. 

Take-up rates

Take-up rates are the percentage of workers with access to a plan who participate in the plan. They are 

computed by using the number of workers participating in a plan divided by the number of workers with access 

to the plan, multiplied by 100, and rounded to the nearest one percent. Since the computation of take-up rates is 

based on the number of workers collected rather than rounded percentage estimates, the take-up rates in the 

tables may not equal the ratio of participation to access estimates.
16

Leave benefits for teachers

Primary, secondary, and special education teachers typically have a work schedule of 37 or 38 weeks per 

year. Because of this work schedule, they are generally not offered vacation or holidays. In many cases, the 

time off during winter and spring breaks during the school year is not considered vacation days for the purposes 

of this survey. 

Survey scope

The March 2009 NCS benefits survey represented about 122 million civilian workers; of this number, 

about 102 million were private industry workers and 19 million, State and local government workers (see 

Appendix table 2). For purposes of this study, a private establishment is an economic unit that produces goods 

or services, a central administrative office, or an auxiliary unit providing support services to a company. For 

private industries, the establishment is usually at a single physical location. For State and local governments, 

an establishment is defined as an agency or entity such as a school district, college, university, hospital, nursing 

home, administrative body, court, police department, fire department, health or social service operation, 

highway maintenance operation, urban transit operation, or other governmental unit. It provides services under 

the authority of a specific State or local government organization within a defined geographic area or 

jurisdiction. The survey sample weights were adjusted to reflect the March 2009 employment figures from the 

Current Employment Statistics survey. 

The nine census divisions are defined as follows: New England—Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, 

New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont; Middle Atlantic—New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania; 

East North Central—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; West North Central—Iowa, Kansas, 

Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; South Atlantic—Delaware, District of 

Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia; East 

South Central—Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee; West South Central—Arkansas, Louisiana, 

Oklahoma, and Texas; Mountain—Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and 

Wyoming; and Pacific—Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington. 

Sample design and data collection

The sample for this survey was selected by using a 3-stage design. The first stage involved the selection 

of areas. The NCS State and local government sample consists of 152 areas that represent the Nation’s 361 

metropolitan statistical areas and 573 micropolitan statistical areas, as defined by the Office of Management and 

Budget in December 2003, and the remaining portions of the 50 States. The private industry sample has begun 

the transition to the December 2003 definition with replacement of one-fifth of the sample under the new area 

definitions; the private industry sample currently consists of 227 areas. 

In the second stage, the sample of establishments was drawn by first stratifying the sampling frame by 

industry and implicitly by establishment size. The list of establishments from which the survey sample was 

selected was developed from State unemployment insurance reports and is based on the 2007 North American 

Industry Classification System (NAICS). 

The third stage of sample selection was the drawing of a probability sample of occupations within a 

sampled establishment. Identification of the occupations for which data were to be collected was a 4-step 

process: 

1. Probability-proportional-to-size selection of establishment jobs

2. Classification of jobs into occupations based on the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 

 system

3. Characterization of jobs as full time vs. part time, union vs. nonunion, and time versus incentive

4. Determination of the level of work of each job
17

For additional technical information, see the BLS Handbook of Methods, available online at 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/home.htm. 

Definition of terms

Civilian workers. Private industry and State and local government workers. 

Full-time worker. Any employee whom the employer considers to be full time. 

Part-time worker. Any employee whom the employer considers to be part time. 

Nonunion worker. An employee in an occupation not meeting the conditions for union coverage. 

Union worker. Any employee is in a union occupation when all of the following conditions are met:

• A labor organization is recognized as the bargaining agent for all workers in the occupation.

• Wage and salary rates are determined through collective bargaining or negotiations.

• Settlement terms, which must include earnings provisions and may include benefit provisions, are 

 embodied in a signed, mutually binding collective bargaining agreement

Survey estimation methods

The survey uses an estimator that assigns the inverse of each sample unit’s probability of selection as a 

weight to the unit’s data at each stage of sample selection and four weight adjustment factors. The first factor 

adjusts for establishment nonresponse and the second factor adjusts for occupational nonresponse. The third 

factor adjusts for any special situations that may have occurred during data collection. The fourth factor, 

poststratification, also called benchmarking, is introduced to adjust the estimated employment totals to actual 

counts of employment by industry for the survey reference date. 

For additional technical information, see the BLS Handbook of Methods, available online at 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/hom/home.htm.

Reliability of estimates

The statistics in this summary are estimates derived from a sample of usable occupation quotes selected 

from the responding establishments. They are not tabulations based on data from all employees in 

establishments within the scope of the survey. Consequently, the data are subject to sampling and nonsampling 

errors.

Sampling errors are the differences that can arise between results derived from a sample and those 

computed from observations of all units in the population being studied. The sample used for this survey is one 

of a number of possible samples of the same size that could have been selected using the sample design. 

Estimates derived from the different samples would differ from one another. 

A measure of the variation among these differing estimates is the standard error. It can be used to measure 

the precision with which an estimate from a particular sample approximates the expected result of all possible 

samples. The chances are about 68 out of 100 that an estimate from the survey differs from a complete 

population figure by less than the standard error. The chances are about 90 out of 100 that this difference would 

be less than 1.6 times the standard error. The statements of comparison appearing in this publication are 

significant at a 1.6 standard error level or better. This means that for differences cited, the estimated difference 

is greater than 1.6 times the standard error of the difference. Standard errors can be used to evaluate published 

series. To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of series, the standard errors for all estimates are available 

on the BLS Web site http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs. 

Nonsampling errors also affect survey results. They can be attributed to many sources, such as the 

inability to obtain information for some establishments, difficulties with survey definitions, inability of the 
18

respondents to provide correct information; or mistakes in recording or coding the data obtained. Although they 

were not specifically measured, the nonsampling errors were expected to be minimal due to the extensive 

training of the field economists who gathered the survey data, computer edits of the data, and detailed data 

review. 

Survey response

The March 2009 benefits survey included a sample of 18,287 establishments. The definitions in 

Appendix table 1 are as follows:

Responding. The establishment provided information on at least one usable occupation. An occupation is 

classified as usable if the following data are present: occupational characteristics (full- vs. part-time schedule, 

union vs. nonunion status, and time vs. incentive pay type), work schedule, and wage data. 

 

Refused or unable to provide data. The establishment did not provide earnings, occupational classification, 

worker characteristics, and work schedule data for any occupation. 

Out of business or not in survey scope. The establishment is no longer in operation, following a bankruptcy, for 

example. Establishments not in the survey scope include farm and private households, the self-employed, the 

Federal government, and locations of an establishment out of the sampled area. Also excluded are 

establishments with no workers within the survey scope (if all employees are also owners, for example). 

Obtaining information

For research articles on employee benefits, see the Monthly Labor Review or Compensation and Working 

Conditions Online at the BLS Web sites http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/home.htm and 

http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/home.htm. For more detailed information on the NAICS and SOC classification 

systems, including background information, see the BLS Web sites http://www.bls.gov/bls/naics.htm and 

http://www.bls.gov/soc/home.htm. 

Additional information about the NCS may be obtained by calling (202) 691–6199. You may also write to 

the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Division of Compensation Data Analysis and Planning, 2 Massachusetts 

Ave., NE, Room 4175, Washington, D.C. 20212–0001, or send e-mail to NCSinfo@bls.gov. The data 

contained in this summary are also available on the BLS Internet site: http://www.bls.gov/ncs/ebs. Users may 

access benefits data from previous surveys through a variety of tools available on the same page. Material in 

this summary is in the public domain and, with appropriate credit, may be reproduced without permission. This 

information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request. Voice telephone: (202) 691–

5200; Federal Relay Service: 1–800–877–8339. 
19

Appendix table 1. Survey establishment response, National

Compensation Survey, March 2009

Establishments Total Private industry State and local

governments

Total in sampling frame1 ................................ 5,389,642 5,174,044 215,598

 Total in sample ............................................ 18,287 16,265 2,022

 Responding ............................................... 10,570 8,782 1,788

 Refused or unable to provide data ............ 4,979 4,766 213

 Out of business or not in survey scope ..... 2,738 2,717 21

1 The list of establishments from which the survey

sample was selected (sampling frame) was

developed from State unemployment insurance

reports and is based on the 2007 North American

Industry Classification System (NAICS). For private

industries, an establishment is usually a single

physical location. For State and local governments,

an establishment is defined as all locations of a

government entity. 
20

Appendix table 2. Number of workers1 represented, National

Compensation Survey, March 2009

Occupational group2 Civilian workers Private industry

workers

State and local

government

workers

All workers ..................................................... 121,695,200 102,319,600 19,375,600

Management, professional, and related .... 34,980,300 24,291,000 10,689,200

Management, business, and financial ... 9,414,900 7,783,200 1,631,600

Professional and related ........................ 25,565,400 16,507,800 9,057,600

Teachers ........................................... 6,301,600 – 4,964,500

Primary, secondary, and special

education school teachers ........... 4,294,000 – 3,695,200

Registered nurses ............................. 2,679,700 2,316,200 363,500

Service ...................................................... 25,667,100 21,548,200 4,118,900

Protective service .................................. 3,225,000 1,363,700 1,861,300

Sales and office ......................................... 32,157,100 29,352,100 2,805,000

Sales and related .................................. 12,016,500 11,867,400 149,100

Office and administrative support .......... 20,140,600 17,484,700 2,655,800

Natural resources, construction, and

maintenance ............................................ 10,660,700 9,679,400 981,300

Construction, extraction, farming,

fishing, and forestry ............................. 5,575,200 5,023,700 551,500

Installation, maintenance, and repair .... 5,085,500 4,655,700 429,900

Production, transportation, and material

moving ..................................................... 18,230,000 17,448,800 781,200

Production ............................................. 8,981,800 8,851,900 129,900

Transportation and material moving ...... 9,248,200 8,596,900 651,300

1 The number of workers represented by the

survey are rounded to the nearest 100. Estimates of

the number of workers provide a description of the

size and composition of the labor force included in

the survey. Estimates are not intended, however, for

comparison to other statistical series to measure

employment trends or levels. 2 The 2000 Standard Occupational Classification

system is used to classify workers.

NOTE: Dashes indicate that no data were reported

or that data did not meet publication criteria.