May 01, 2001 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

State and local government employment costs up 3.3 percent over the year

In State and local government, compensation costs increased 3.3 percent for the year ended March 2001; over-the-year increases were 3.6 percent in March 2000 and 2.9 percent in March 1999.

12-month percent changes in Employment Cost Index, State and local government workers, not seasonally adjusted, March 1996-March 2001
[Chart data—TXT]

The March 2001 over-the-year increase in wages and salaries was 3.5 percent in State and local government, compared with a 3.8-percent increase recorded for March 2000.

The 12-month gain in benefit costs for March 2001 was 2.8 percent; in March 2000, the gain was 3.2 percent.

These data are from the BLS Employment Cost Trends program. Compensation costs (also known as employment costs) include wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits. Learn more in "Employment Cost Index—March 2001," news release USDL 01-113.

Related TED article:

Employment costs increase 4.2 percent in past 12 months