Are more people in finance jobs in London working unpaid overtime?

As businesses battle to work through these times of austerity, some employees may find that they are increasingly relied upon to put in extra hours, despite not being paid.

This is the opinion of Phil Flaxton, chief executive officer of Work Wise UK, who said that people in finance jobs in London or other careers may find that it is not unheard of for them to put in 50 hours a week at work.

He added that it is "well documented" that some Britons are now working longer than they did prior to the recession, although in many cases this is without pay.

"With the cost of redundancy being as expensive as it is in many cases, I'm sure there are unscrupulous employers out there that would put undue and unlawful pressure on staff," he warned.

Workers finding themselves in this position may wish to seek advice from a recruitment consultancy about the possibility of finding a new job.

According to Contact Law, the number of people seeking employment-related legal advice increased by 15 per cent between June and July 2010.