France labour market slack: underemployed part-time workers
France labour market slack: underemployed part-time workers stood at 1,267 thousand persons in Q2 2026, according to Eurostat – labour market slack by sex and age, quarterly (lfsi_sla_q). It is one of the indicators in the Labour market indicators (Eurostat) table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 2003 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour market indicators (Eurostat) table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour market slack | 5,132 | 5,052 | 5,016 | 4,966 | 4,961 | 4,808 | 4,800 | 4,726 | 4,800 | 4,759 | |
| Components | |||||||||||
| Underemployed part-time workers | 1,267 | 1,274 | 1,266 | 1,255 | 1,287 | 1,214 | 1,222 | 1,196 | 1,219 | 1,227 |
Understanding france labour market slack: underemployed part-time workers
This series measures individuals currently working part-time hours who wish to work additional hours and are available to accept them. It isolates a specific segment of underutilization distinct from full-time joblessness or entirely inactive populations. The count includes only those whose actual working hours fall below standard thresholds due to economic reasons or employer scheduling, omitting individuals who voluntarily choose reduced schedules for personal lifestyle reasons.
Evaluating this measure requires attention to seasonal shifts in retail, hospitality, and service sectors where part-time arrangements predominate. Revisions to early estimates occur as enterprise and household survey weights are reconciled. Analysts should prioritize annual comparisons to bypass short-term fluctuations tied to holiday periods or temporary scheduling shifts. A common pitfall is treating these workers as fully employed or completely jobless, whereas they occupy an intermediate status.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is included in this underemployed part-time category?
- Part-time workers who want more hours and are immediately available to work them are counted here.
- Are people who choose part-time work for personal reasons included?
- No, voluntary part-time workers are excluded because they do not seek additional hours.
- Which industries heavily influence movements in this series?
- Sectors reliant on flexible or shift-based staffing, such as retail and hospitality, drive much of the variation.