Single women 'work 43 days a year overtime with no pay'

Single women are more likely to do unpaid overtime than any other workers, a report has revealed.

On average, those in their thirties do 7.4 hours a week, equal to 43 days a year at their desks without being paid a penny.

It means millions of women are coming in early, skipping lunch breaks and leaving late.

Others find work intrudes into their weekends, with many having to reply to emails and take calls on Saturdays and Sundays.

Experts said many women feel they have to work harder to prove themselves in businesses where bosses are usually male.

Others have no choice, as huge workloads force them to put in longer hours.

The report, from the Trades Union Congress, says unpaid overtime peaks for single women between 30 and 39.

For many, this is the time in their career when they are trying to win a major promotion.

Others will have decided that they are no longer likely to start a family, so they will concentrate on work instead.

But Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, warned that many bosses take such hard work for granted.

He said: "Those extra hours are too often taken for granted and, if allowed to build up, they can damage people's health, relationships and morale at work."

The report found that the arrival of children dramatically changes a woman's willingness to work overtime.

Just 17 per cent of working mothers do unpaid overtime - many simply cannot because they have to leave to collect their children from school or a child minder.

On average, working mothers out in 5.7 extra hours unpaid.

Overall, the report found that nearly five million workers regularly do unpaid overtime.

Teachers, lawyers, businessmen, architects and media staff are most likely to work overtime, paid or unpaid.

Women are working longer hours than ever - but men are doing the opposite, official figures show.

(Agencies)

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一份报告显示，与其他员工相比，单身女性无偿加班的几率更高。

平均来看，30多岁的单身女性每周无偿加班7.4个小时，相当于一年有43天的工作没有任何报酬。

这意味着数百万女性正在承受一种“早来晚走不午休”的工作模式。

有些人的周末甚至也被占用，很多人不得不在周末回邮件和接电话。

专家说，如今的企业以男上司居多，因此很多女性觉得只有加倍努力才能证明自己。

有些人则是不得不加班，工作任务繁重迫使她们延长工作时间。

该份由英国工会联盟发布的报告称，30岁至39岁之间的单身女性无偿加班的现象最严重。

对于很多女性来说，这是职业生涯中谋求晋升的时期。

有些人已经决定不打算成家，所以她们会集中精力去工作。

不过，英国工会联盟秘书长布兰顿•巴伯提出警告，很多老板认为这样努力工作是理所当然的。

他说：“那些加班根本没被当作一回事，如果任其发展，势必会影响员工的身体健康、人际关系以及工作积极性。”

报告发现，女性有了孩子之后，加班的主动性会大大降低。

仅有17%的职业妈妈加班——很多人不能加班是因为她们得去学校或托儿所接孩子。

职业妈妈每周平均无偿加班5.7个小时。

报告指出，总体来看，近500万的员工经常无偿加班。

教师、律师、商人、建筑师及媒体从业人员无偿或有偿加班的几率最高。

官方统计数据显示，如今，女性比以往加班多的同时，男性加班则越来越少。