Labor Costs of Bulgarian Employers Up 4.7% Y/Y in Q1, 2013

In Q1, 2013, construction registered a 0.4% y/y decrease in total hourly labor costs. Photo by BGNES

Total hourly labor costs increased by 4.7% year-over-year in Q1, 2013, according to preliminary data of Bulgaria's National Statistical Institute (NSI).

Total hourly labor costs grew by 4.2% in the industry sector and by 4.8% in the service sector, while construction registered a 0.4% decrease in total hourly labor costs.

The highest annual increases in in total labor costs were recorded in the segments of "Hotels and restaurants" - 11.7%, "Public administration" - 10.2% and "Information and communication" - 10.0%.

Labor costs in the segment of "Arts, entertainment and recreation" decreased by 2.7%, while labor costs in the segment of "other economic activities" fell by 1.9%.

As regards the structure of total labor costs, the component of wages and salaries per hour grew by 4.5% compared to Q1, 2012, while other (non-wage) costs rose by 5.3%.

In Q1, 2013, the year-over-year growth rate in the wages and salaries component ranged from (-3.2%) in "Arts, entertainment and recreation" to 12.4% in "Hotels and restaurants."

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