Personnel expenses comprise the following:
| XLS |
€ million |
2008 |
2007 |
Wages and salaries |
1,668.3 |
1,586.8 |
Compulsory social security contributions and special financial assistance |
254.2 |
225.1 |
Pension expenses |
93.0 |
121.5 |
(in both years excluding Discontinued Operations (Generics)) |
2,015.4 |
1,933.4 |
As of December 31, 2008, the companies of the Merck Group had 32,800 employees (2007: 30,968). The average number of employees during the year was 31,971 (2007: 30,791).