The TUC has named tomorrow (Friday 22) as Work Your Proper Hours Day as evidence emerges that some UK employees are losing thousands of pounds a year in unpaid overtime.

According to Office of National Statistics figures, corporate managers – including directors, chief executives and senior government officials – lose out on £12,000 a year. They are twice as likely as other employees to work unpaid overtime . Nearly half work an extra 10 hours and 30 minutes for free every week.

Workers in the education sector put in the most unpaid hours, with 52.4% of teachers working overtime. The average number of hours they work unpaid is 11.2.  Workers in the legal profession come in second with the average worker clocking up 8.6 hours of overtime.

TUC estimates if employees did all their unpaid overtime at the start of the year, tomorrow would be the first day they would get paid.

 “Managers are often blamed for Britain’s long-hours culture but today’s statistics show that they are often the victims too,” says TUC general secretary Brendan Barber. “In the longer term, managers should pay closer attention to their work-life balance, as well as that of their staff.”