The hourly labor costs incurred by employers in the first quarter of 2020 rose, after adjustment, by 4.3 percent in comparison with the same period in the previous year, the Federal Statistical Office announced. The hours worked can be lower, in the case of vacation or sick leave, than in the best case. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, adjusted labor costs rose by 2.4 percent in the first quarter of 2020. In March, a high number of vacation days was to be noted, due to the Corona pandemic.