For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Friday, July 20, 2018                                           USDL-18-1182

Technical information:  (202) 691-6199    ncsinfo@bls.gov    www.bls.gov/ebs
Media contact:          (202) 691-5902    pressoffice@bls.gov

                        EMPLOYEE BENEFITS IN THE UNITED STATES – MARCH 2018

Medical care benefits were available to 69 percent of private industry workers and 89 percent of state 
and local government workers in March 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. In 
private industry, access to employer-sponsored medical care benefits varied by establishment size. Fifty-
five percent of private industry workers in small establishments (those with fewer than 100 employees) 
were offered medical care benefits. These benefits were offered to 83 percent of workers in medium-size 
establishments (those employing between 100 and 499 workers) and 88 percent of workers in large 
establishments (those with 500 employees or more). In state and local government, medical care benefits 
were available to 85 percent of workers in small establishments, 86 percent of workers in medium-size 
establishments, and 92 percent of workers in large establishments. (See tables A and 1.)

In private industry, paid sick leave was available to 62 percent of workers in small establishments, 79 
percent of workers in medium-size establishments, and 87 percent of workers in large establishments.
Small establishments provided paid vacation to 70 percent of workers, whereas the benefit was provided 
to 85 percent of those working in medium-size establishments and 89 percent of those working in large 
establishments. Access to paid holidays was available to 71 percent of workers in small establishments, 
86 percent of workers in medium-size establishments, and 88 percent of workers in large establishments. 
(See table 5.)

Civilian workers
  *  For full-time workers, access to medical care benefits was 88 percent and the take-up rate was 
74 percent. For part-time workers, access to medical care benefits was 21 percent and the take-up 
rate was 56 percent. (See table 1.)
  *  The share of medical care premiums paid by employees was 20 percent for single coverage and 
32 percent for family coverage. (See tables 2 and 3.)
  *  Life insurance was available to 17 percent of workers with an average wage in the lowest 10 
percent category and to 85 percent of workers with an average wage in the highest 10 percent 
category. The take-up rate was 89 percent for the lowest 10 percent category and 99 percent for 
the highest 10 percent category. (See table 4.)

Private industry workers
  *  For union workers, access to medical care benefits was 94 percent and access to life insurance 
was 85 percent. Nonunion workers' access to these benefits was 66 percent for medical care and 
54 percent for life insurance. (See tables 1 and 4.)
  *  The shares of medical care premiums paid by employees for single coverage was 19 percent for 
establishments employing 500 workers or more and 23 percent for establishments employing 50 
to 99 workers. For family coverage, the employees' share of medical care premiums was 24 
percent for establishments employing 500 workers or more and 40 percent for establishments 
employing 50 to 99 workers. (See tables 2 and 3.)

State and local government workers
  *  Life insurance was available to 91 percent of full-time workers and 89 percent participated. The 
benefit was available to 24 percent of part-time workers and 23 percent participated. (See table 4.)
  *  Ninety-one percent of workers had access to paid sick leave. Access to paid vacation was 61 
percent and to paid holidays was 68 percent. (See table 5.)


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                               Additional Estimates Available Fall 2018

Retirement benefits data included in prior news releases will be published September 21, 2018, with 
information on additional employer-sponsored benefits. For all available benefits publications, see 
www.bls.gov/ncs/ncspubs.htm.
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