To think these working hours are unusually high?

[Chippednailvarnish]

8.30am to 6.30pm with no specified breaks? These seem very long to me, Aibu?

I work 12 hour shifts and get half an hour unpaid break.

Wow thats crazy.

I have for years debated different careers but have settled on admin work as it is generally 9-5.

Atm I work 8-4 with half an hour unpaid lunch and two 15 minutes paid tea break. But some days I work to 5 and have an hour and half lunch. Its also flexi time so can do any time between 7-6 whatever suits on that day.

I used to work at least 8.30-6.30, sometimes longer, in a professional job with a decent salary. Technically I was contracted to work 9-5 with an hour's unpaid lunch but noone ever worked those hours. At one point I was doing 14-16 hour days.

I don't do that job any more!

Its a finance position, I think what I'm concerned about is that I have always worked long hours but my contract has stated 37.5 a week.

I'm suspecting that this could be a 60 -70 hour working week.

Is that the stated contracted hours OP? Is that even legal?

I think you're right to be wary.

I just can't see how I can do the contracted hours before any overtime and do an hours travel there and back and still see my dc's!
At least if the contracted hours were shorter I could manage my time to suit me...

well my CM has my two kids (plus various others) from 7.45 to 6.15 with no actual 100% breaks. I have no idea how she does it personally.

I work in investment banking and always worked a minimum of 7-7 without breaks before dc. Post dc I have eased back a little and now work around 7.30am - 5.30pm. I was asked to opt out of the working hours directive and I did so, happily. I am well paid for the work I do and was well aware of the hours I would need to do before I accepted the job.

It is illegal for you not be given a 20 minute break for every 20 mins you work. You must demand a break. Yes that is long hours even so, I work 8.30 til 5 with a half hour break.

I used to work 7-7 with no specified breaks. When it was busy we worked, when it was quiet we didn't.

The sector was outwith working time regulations.

I do 8 , and 12 hour shifts , which can be extended to pretty much any length of time if something goes badly wrong . I'm not entitled to any break at all in that time . I can take a refs break , but if a call comes out and we're nearest , then we drop our break and take the call . I've had many many more abandoned dinners than eaten ones . That's why you see a lot of police cars in fast food outlets . It's far quicker to grab a kebab and eat it in a lay by somewhere , than spend 20 minutes driving back to the station canteen , only to have to bin it , turn round and go to the next call . Which I don't have a problem with , my conscience wouldn't let me eat knowing there was someone in trouble and I was chomping on my chips .

We have to sign a form each year to agree we are happy working over 50 hours a week

I've never had an employment contract with a minimum 50 hour week, before any (unpaid) overtime and 20 days holiday. So maybe I have been lucky.

And these aren't even the hours I would necessarily be working...

My last finance position had hours of 8am - 6pm but over the month you averaged 37.5 hours but phones had to be manned. Sometimes extreme hours are qouted without you actually having to do them every day but you would need to be available to do early starts and late finishes.

Chippednailvarnish are you sure it's 5 days a week?

Those hours (and holidays) sound suspiciously like a condensed week - 38 hours over 4 days, once you take out 30 mins for lunch. Would also explain the 20 days holiday (equates to 25 days for a "normal" week).

I work in finance & have seen this arrangement quite often. Does the salary look about right for a "standard" week, or does it seem to be higher / compensating for the extra work required?

I've never known a finance role to specify such long hours - they usually just have the "plus any other hours as necessary to complete the job" clause... What industry is it in?