French Unemployment at 16-Year High

10.9 percent of workforce not working

France's unemployment rate climbed to the highest in almost 16 years in the third quarter as President Francois Hollande struggles to revive an economy that has barely grown in two years.

About 10.9 percent of the French workforce is out of a job, up from 10.8 percent in the second quarter, national statistics office Insee said today in an e-mailed statement. Excluding France's overseas territories, the rate rose to 10.5 percent from 10.4 percent.