For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Thursday, September 17, 2020 USDL-20-1736 Technical information: (202) 691-6199 * ncsinfo@bls.gov * www.bls.gov/ect Media contact: (202) 691-5902 * pressoffice@bls.gov EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION – JUNE 2020 Employer costs for employee compensation for civilian workers averaged $38.20 per hour worked in June 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries cost employers $26.17 while benefit costs were $12.04. The average cost for health insurance benefits was $3.18 per hour worked. (See table 1.) Private industry worker compensation costs for employers averaged $35.96 per hour worked in June 2020. Wages and salaries averaged $25.18 and accounted for 70.0 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $10.79 and accounted for 30.0 percent. The average cost of health insurance benefits was $2.73 per hour worked and accounted for 7.6 percent of total compensation in June 2020. (See table 1.) State and local government worker compensation costs for employers averaged $52.36 per hour worked in June 2020. Wages and salaries averaged $32.43 and accounted for 61.9 percent of employer costs, while benefit costs averaged $19.93 and accounted for 38.1 percent. The average cost of health insurance benefits was $6.01 per hour worked and accounted for 11.5 percent of total compensation in June 2020. (See table 1.) Health insurance costs in private industry highlights: * Among occupational groups, health insurance costs ranged between $1.25 per hour worked (7.0 percent of total compensation) for service occupations and $4.13 (6.7 percent of total compensation) for management, professional, and related occupations. * Health insurance cost employers $2.38 (6.8 percent of total compensation) for nonunion workers and $6.58 per hour worked (13.3 percent) for union workers. * Among major industry groups, health insurance costs ranged between $0.78 per hour worked (4.9 percent of total compensation) in leisure and hospitality and $4.63 (8.1 percent) in information. * Health insurance costs by establishment employment size ranged between $1.69 per employee hour worked (5.9 percent of total compensation) in the smallest establishments (1-49 workers) and $4.70 (9.0 percent) in the largest establishments (500 workers or more). * Among census divisions, health insurance costs ranged between $1.96 (6.2 percent of total compensation) in West South Central and $3.32 per employee hour worked (7.7 percent) in the Pacific. Other insurance benefit costs in private industry were $0.04 per employee hour worked (0.1 percent of total compensation) for life insurance, $0.05 (0.1 percent) for long-term disability, and $0.08 (0.2 percent) for short-term disability. Note: Highlighted health insurance estimates are available through the database query tool at www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/data.htm. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ | Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic Impact on June 2020 ECEC Data | |The Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) reference date was June 12, 2020. Response rates for June were| |comparable with prior releases, and no changes in estimation procedures were necessary. Additional information | |is available at www.bls.gov/covid19/employer-costs-for-employee-compensation-covid19-effects-june-2020.htm. | |__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________| Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for September 2020 is scheduled to be released on Thursday, December 17, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).