Employers' Regret: No Discussion of Job-Killing Costs in 2016 Election

The U.S. Department of Labor’s June 2016 report on employer costs is troubling. To begin: The wealth disparity in the U.S. has grown substantially, and 13.5% of Americans live below the poverty line. See here, at https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2016/demo/p60-256.html. 

In light of these realities, the Department of Labor employer-cost survey is alarming and surprising (unless you're an employer). Judge for yourself (quoting now from the report) (full report is here): 

EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION – JUNE 2016

Employer costs for employee compensation averaged $34.05 per hour worked in June 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages and salaries averaged $23.35 per hour worked and accounted for 68.6 percent of these costs, while benefits averaged $10.70 and accounted for the remaining 31.4 percent. Total employer compensation costs for private industry workers averaged $32.29 per hour worked in June 2016. 

Total employer compensation costs for state and local government workers averaged $45.14 per hour worked in June 2016. 

Employer Costs for Employee Compensation (ECEC), a product of the National Compensation Survey, measures employer costs for wages, salaries, and employee benefits for nonfarm private and state and local government workers.

Cherry picking for the lowest cost figures, service sector employers were paid an average of $12.67 in total compensation, with $5.11 allocated to benefits (e.g., mandated health insurance).

If there is a Clinton landslide, Democrats will need to wrestle with these job-killing cost issues, while delivering on promises to raise the minimum wage sharply, legislate paid sick leave, and so forth.