The labour market in 2009: results of the Labour-Force Survey

In 2009, the French labour force comprised 25.7 million people in employment and 2.6 million in ILO unemployment. The share of 15-64s in employment fell between 2008 and 2009. The decline mainly concerned young men. Young people are more likely to be hired under short-term contracts and to have jobs in construction and in the hotel/restaurant sector. Nearly one in ten people in employment has been working in the same firm for less than a year; 1.4 million people in employment-5.5% of all employed persons-would like to work more. Young people, especially the lowest-skilled, remain the category with the highest unemployment rate. More than half of the unemployed aged over 50 have been seeking work for more than a year.