2007 Financial statements

Note 4 - Employment costs

	Note	2007 US$m	2006 US$m
Employment costs
- Wages and salaries		3,618	2,337
- Social security costs		106	83
- Net post retirement cost (a)	49	240	189
- Share option costs (b)	48	220	32
		4,184	2,641
Less: charged within provisions		(357)	(182)
	3	3,827	2,459


Notes	Expand
Post retirement costs include the aggregate service and interest cost of providing post retirement benefits under defined benefit plans, net of the related expected return on plan assets. Additional detail of the amount charged to the income statement in respect of post retirement plans, and the treatment of actuarial gains and losses, is shown in note 49. Further details of the Group's share options and other share based payment plans are given in note 48. Employment costs includes the impact of Alcan for the period 24 October 2007 to 31 December 2007, amounting to US$635 million.