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British employees are working more overtime than ever before - often for no extra money

The survey, based on responses from 2,000 people in full time salaried or hourly employment, showed that regionally Londoners are putting in the most overtime—an average of 9.6 hours a week

Business Editor

Thursday 02 March 2017 14:24 GMT

UK workers gave their employers £33.6bn of free labour last year by doing unpaid overtime, according to the TUC (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The amount of overtime that Brits put in has hit a record high according to a study, with employers working an average of 68 days more each year than they are contracted to, usually for no additional pay.

The study conducted by TotallyMoney.com, a website that provides price comparison services for credit cards, loans and mortgages, shows that 60 per cent of British workers say that they don’t have a good work-life balance and only a third say that they typically leave work on time.

The figures show a stark divide between men and women. While 43 per cent of men say that they are paid for overtime, only 30 per cent of women claim that they get extra cash for extra hours.

But 24 per cent of women say that they feel pressured to work overtime in order to progress their career, more than double the 11 per cent of men who say that they do.

The survey, based on responses from 2,000 people in full time salaried or hourly employment, showed that regionally Londoners are putting in the most overtime—an average of 9.6 hours a week.

The results chime with a recent analysis from the TUC trade union showing that the number of employees working longer hours than contracted had grown by 15 per cent in the last five years, hurting health and hampering productivity levels.

UK workers gave their employers £33.6bn of free labour last year by doing unpaid overtime, according to the TUC.

More than 5.3 million people put in an average of 7.7 hours a week in unpaid overtime during 2016, which is equivalent to an average of £6,301, the union said, while warning that employees working rights now risk getting worse as a result of Brexit.

“The government still doesn’t have a water-tight plan to stop working time protections getting weaker when we leave the EU,” said Frances O’Grady, general secretary of the TUC.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

Show all 13

1/13The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

13. Postal service clerks

Average hours typically worked a week: 39.32 Median earned income: $51,000 What they do: Perform any combination of tasks in a post office like receive letters and parcels; sell postage and revenue stamps, postal cards, and stamped envelopes; fill out and sell money orders; place mail in pigeon holes of mail racks or in bags; and examine mail for correct postage.

Getty

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

12. Speech-language pathologists

Average hours typically worked a week: 36.17 Median earned income: $54,000 What they do: Assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

11. Registered nurses

Average hours typically worked a week: 37.59 Median earned income: $56,000 What they do: Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing-care plans, and maintain medical records.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

10. Psychologists

Average hours typically worked a week: 36.75 Median earned income: $56,000 What they do: Diagnose or evaluate mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observations, interviews, and psychological tests and formulate and administer programs of treatment.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

9. Chiropractors

Average hours typically worked a week: 39.75 Median earned income: $60,000 What they do: Assess, treat, and care for patients by manipulation of spine and musculoskeletal system.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

8. Occupational therapists

Average hours typically worked a week: 36.02 Median earned income: $60,000 What they do: Provide rehabilitative treatments and procedures that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

7. Technical writers

Average hours typically worked a week: 39.61 Median earned income: $62,000 What they do: Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

6. Physical therapists

Average hours typically worked a week: 37.43 Median earned income: $63,000 What they do: Assess, plan, organise, and participate in rehabilitative programs that improve mobility, relieve pain, increase strength, and improve or correct disabling conditions resulting from disease or injury.

Rex Features

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

5. Audiologists

Average hours typically worked a week: 37.77 Median earned income: $64,000 What they do: Assess and treat people with hearing and related disorders.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

4. Radiation therapists

Average hours typically worked a week: 38.40 Median earned income: $70,000 What they do: Provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiologist according to established practices and standards.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

3. Optometrists

Average hours typically worked a week: 39.03 Median earned income: $100,000 What they do: Diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

2. Pharmacists

Average hours typically worked a week: 38.38 Median earned income: $102,000 What they do: Dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use.

The 13 highest-paying jobs with less than 40 hours per week

1. Dentists

Average hours typically worked a week: 37.83 Median earned income: $130,000 What they do: Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums.

“The Prime Minister should promise to put a guarantee into our future trade deals with Europe that British workers will have a level playing field with EU workers.”

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