July 31, 2006 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Employment costs rise 0.8 percent from March to June

Compensation costs for the private sector rose 0.8 percent from March 2006 to June 2006 (seasonally adjusted), after advancing 0.6 percent in the prior quarter.

3-month percent changes in Employment Cost Index, private industry workers, seasonally adjusted, September 2004-June 2006
[Chart data—TXT]

Wages and salaries of private industry workers rose 0.9 percent in the June quarter, compared with an increase of 0.7 percent in the prior quarter.

Private sector benefit costs rose 0.7 percent for the June quarter, following a 0.4-percent gain in the previous quarter.

These data are from the BLS Compensation Cost Trends program. Compensation costs (also known as employment costs) include wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits. Data are subject to revision. Learn more in "Employment Cost Index—June 2006" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 06-1277.