The share of total U.S. employee compensation spent on benefits increased sharply between 2000 and 2007.
Researchers at the Employee Benefit Research Institute, Washington, have reported that finding in a study based on U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
Total compensation increased to $7.8 trillion, from $5.8 trillion, between 2000 and 2007, and benefits spending increased to $1.5 trillion, from $953 trillion.
The percentage of total spending allocated to benefits increased to 19%, from 16%.