In December 2002, employer costs for employee compensation in private industry averaged $22.14 per hour worked. [Chart data???TXT]Wages and salaries, which averaged $16.08, accounted for 72.6 percent of these costs, while benefits, which averaged $6.07, accounted for the remainder.Legally required benefits, such as Social Security and unemployment insurance, were $1.85 per hour on average, represe