Why hire? French confront reasons for malaise

Published September 15, 2014 2:52pm ET



PARIS (AP) — Marc Winocour and his two sons have enjoyed some success transforming the family farm into a field-to-table company that includes bread ovens, delivery trucks and a boutique. Revenues are climbing more than 50 percent a year.

But even as customer interest grows, adding new employees to their team of 10 is a decision of last resort. For French business owners like them, the financial risk is too great and the government’s promises to lighten the highest labor costs in the world and overhaul 3,000 pages of work rules are too remote.

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