Employee Benefits in the United States Summary

For release 10:00 a.m. (ET) Friday, September 25, 2026                                           USDL-26-1534

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                        EMPLOYEE BENEFITS IN THE UNITED STATES – MARCH 2026
                        
Retirement benefits were available to 72 percent of private industry workers in March 2026, the U.S. 
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Seventy percent of private industry workers had access to 
defined contribution plans and 14 percent had access to defined benefit plans. Fifty-two percent of 
private industry workers participated in retirement plans, 49 percent participated in defined contribution
plans, and 9 percent participated in defined benefit plans. Among state and local government workers, 92 
percent of workers had access to retirement benefits and 81 percent participated. Thirty-nine percent had 
access to defined contribution plans with a participation rate of 20 percent and 86 percent had access to 
defined benefit plans with a participation rate of 75 percent. (See table 1.)

Fifty-nine percent of private industry workers had access to life insurance plans, 44 percent had access 
to short-term disability plans, and 37 percent had access to long-term disability plans. Eighty-four 
percent of state and local government workers had access to life insurance plans, 26 percent had access 
to short-term disability plans, and 41 percent had access to long-term disability plans. (See table 5.)

Paid vacation leave was available to 80 percent of private industry workers, 81 percent had access to paid
holidays, 81 percent had access to paid sick leave, 49 percent had access to paid family and medical 
leave, and 51 percent had access to paid personal leave. Among state and local government workers, 
61 percent had access to paid vacation, 68 percent had access to paid holidays, 93 percent had access to
paid sick leave, 57 percent had access to paid family and medical leave, and 63 percent had access to paid
personal leave. (See table 6.)
   
Seventy-one percent of private industry workers had access to medical care plans and 46 percent of workers 
participated. Dental care was available to 44 percent of private industry workers with a participation 
rate of 32 percent. Vision care was available to 29 percent of workers with 22 percent participating. 
Among state and local government workers, 89 percent had access to medical care benefits with 67 percent 
of workers participating, 62 percent had access to dental care benefits with 50 percent of workers 
participating, and 39 percent had access to vision care benefits with 31 percent participating. 
(See table 2.)

Highlights of employer-sponsored benefits

Occupational group
	* Among private industry workers, access to nonproduction bonuses ranged from 37 percent for service
	  occupations to 61 percent for management, professional, and related occupations.
	* Among state and local government workers, access to subsidized commuting was available for 10 
	  percent of service occupations and 22 percent of production, transportation, and material moving
	  occupations.

Work status
	* Eighty-nine percent of full-time civilian workers and 23 percent of part-time workers had access 
	  to medical care benefits. The take-up rate was 68 percent for full-time workers and 49 percent for
	  part-time workers.
	* Ninety-nine percent of full-time state and local government workers had access to retirement
	  benefits and 88 percent participated, while 44 percent of part-time workers had access to
	  retirement benefits and 37 percent participated.
	* In the private industry, 87 percent of full-time workers had access to medical care benefits and
	  the take-up rate was 67 percent. Twenty-three percent of part-time workers had access to these
	  benefits and the take-up rate was 47 percent.

Industry group
	* Access to paid sick leave for private industry workers ranged from 58 percent for the leisure and
	  hospitality industry to 98 percent for both the information industry and finance and insurance 
	  industry.
	* Among all workers, 60 percent of workers in the education and health services industry had access
	  to defined contribution plans; 42 percent participated in money purchase pension plans and 9 
	  percent participated in deferred profit sharing plans.

Average wage category
	* Access to student loan repayment assistance ranged from 3 percent for the lowest 25 percent 
	  average wage category to 15 percent for the highest 25 percent average wage category among 
	  private industry workers. 
	* Access to healthcare flexible spending accounts for state and local government workers was 57
	  percent for the lowest 10 percent average wage category and 72 percent for the highest 10 percent
	  average wage category.

Census area
	* Life insurance access among state and local government workers was 82 percent in the Midwest census
	  region and 86 percent in the South census region. The take-up rate was 97 percent for Midwest 
	  census region workers and 97 percent for South census region workers.
	* Access to short-term disability plans was available to 36 percent of civilian workers in the 
	  South census region with a participation rate of 35 percent. Sixty-six percent of civilian 
	  workers in the Northeast census area had access with a participation rate of 65 percent.