Employers’ Costs Rise: The cost of wages,...
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Employers’ Costs Rise: The cost of wages, salaries and employee benefits rose 4.6% for private employers in 1990, according to a U.S. Labor Department index. Costs in the Western region--consisting of California and 12 other states--rose 4.4%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found. Wage and salary costs have risen 16.7% in the West during the past five years, compared to 20.2% nationally. Total hourly compensation remains higher in the West, however, averaging $15.73. That compares to $14.96 nationally, according to the bureau.
