Average wages - 1st quarter of 2013

In Q1 2013 the average gross monthly nominal wage per FTE employee in the entire national economy decreased by 0.4% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. In real terms it dropped by 2.2%. The median wage (the value in the middle of the wage distribution) was CZK 20 051.

In Q1 2013 the average gross monthly nominal wage ^*) (hereinafter only as “the average wage”) per FTE employee in the entire national economy was CZK 24 061, which was by CZK 85 (0.4%) lower than in the same period of 2012. In the aforementioned period of 2013 consumer prices grew by 1.8% and thus wages decreased by 2.2% in real terms. The wage volume decreased by 1.0%; the number of employees declined by 0.6%.

The average wage in the business sphere decreased nominally by 0.4%, that means it dropped by 2.2% in real terms; in the non-business sphere the average wage kept nominally at the same level as in Q1 of 2012, yet thus decreased by 1.8% in real terms.

Compared to the previous quarter the seasonally adjusted average wage in Q1 2013 decreased by 0.2%.

The median wage (CZK 20 051) decreased by 0.4% compared to the same period of the previous year. The male median wage was CZK 21 749 and the female one was CZK 18 075.
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^*) The average gross monthly nominal wage is a share of wage funds (including extra pay for overtime work, bonuses, compensation of wages, etc.) for one employee per month. Therefore this does not indicate what wage one concrete employee has. Results of structural statistics, in which data on earnings of respective employees are available, show that roughly two thirds of employees have the average wage below the national average.
The median wage represents a value of an employee wage in the middle of the wage distribution. That means one half of the wages is lower and the second half of the wages is higher than the median wage. Conversely to the average wage, which is calculated on the basis of background data from enterprise reports, the median must be derived from a statistical-mathematical model based on a sample survey, because enterprise questionnaires contain just aggregated data for the whole enterprise or organization.
It is necessary to keep in mind the employers pay, from the gross wages, appropriate amounts for premiums for health insurance and social security, income tax advances of natural persons, and other statutory deductions, or deductions agreed with the employee for their employees. The employees are paid net wages.

Analysis - Commentary: Development of average wages of employees in Q1 2013


Notes:
The data are preliminary; revised data will be available in September 2013.
Responsible head at the CZSO: D Holý, Director of the Labour Market and Equal Opportunities Statistics Department, phone +420 274 052 694, e-mail: dalibor.holy@csu.gov.cz
Contact person: J Erhartová, Head of the Labour Statistics Unit, phone +420 274 052 116, e-mail: jitka.erhartova@csu.gov.cz
Method of data acquisition: the direct survey and models of the CZSO, and the ISPV model
End of data processing: 24 May 2013
Related data set: e-3106-13 Registered Number of Employees and Their Wages (1 ^th Quarter of 2013),
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Next News Release will be published on: 6 September 2013