Navigation:  »No topics above this level« Why don't the BLS benefits percentages match the published numbers? Applies To: All Applications

The percentages published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC) tables are calculated differently than the percentages used in the applications. The figures in the ECEC tables are percent of total compensation, while the ones used in the applications are percent of wages.

The formula for the percentages in the ECEC tables is:

Percentage = Benefits/(Wages + Benefits)

The formula for the percentages in the applications is:

Percentage = Benefits/Wages

The second formula is used in the applications because the objective is to calculate benefits based on wages. Rearranging that formula produces the one that is applied to calculate benefits:

Benefits = Wages * Percentage