The Affordability Issue – An Employer View

Among the slew of data released last week was a Bureau of Labor Statistics update on the employment cost index. The data showed that for all civilian workers overall compensation costs rose 3.4 percent between the first quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026. Similarly, wages and salaries rose at the same 3.4-percent rate, but benefit costs rose at a faster 3.6-percent pace. READ MORE