U.S. employment benefits costs edged higher in the first quarter of 2026, with the indicator rising to 1.20% from 0.80% in the previous quarter. The latest reading, updated on 30 April 2026, marks a noticeable acceleration in the quarter-over-quarter pace of benefit cost growth compared with the fourth quarter of 2025.
The previous figure of 0.80% was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025 and reflected the change from the prior quarter. By comparison, the current 1.20% figure captures the change from the fourth quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026. This quarter-over-quarter comparison framework shows that benefits are now increasing more quickly than in the previous period, signaling a strengthening trend in employment-related compensation costs across the U.S. labor market.
