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Total compensation averages $28.87

December 10, 2008

Total compensation costs for U.S. civilian workers averaged $28.87 per hour worked in September 2008, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries averaged $20.13 for 69.7% of the costs. Benefits averaged $8.74, for the remaining 30.3%.

Of the benefits, insurance benefits such as life, health and disability averaged $2.42 for 8.4% of compensation. Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation averaged $2.27 for 7.9% of total compensation. Paid leave benefits averaged $2.03 (7.0%), retirement and savings averaged $1.28 (4.4%) and supplemental pay such as overtime averaged 75 cents (2.6%).