As the IRS survey of working hours and the working time opt out, published today on XpertHR [subscription required] points out, the working week (paid and unpaid) has been getting shorter every year since the mid 1990s.

This year does seem to have seen that position reversed, according to the TUC's analysis of the Labour Force Survey, but it is difficult to see what has changed so markedly over the past 12 months that would make this anything other than a blip.

Whatever the truth, the IRS survey appears to show that many employers are routinely asking employees to sign away their protections under the Working Time Regulations, even though they are unlikely to work long hours in practice.

The regulations provide for a maximum average working week of 48 hours for most adults, but workers can opt out of this provision by signing a waiver.

Many employers told IRS that they asked new employees to sign a waiver as a matter of routine when they joined the organisation – which is doubtless convenient but raises questions about the pressure this puts on new recruits.

The IRS findings also show that the opt-out is more routinely required of more senior employees, with seven out of ten employers expecting managers to sign, even though only half actually have unsocial working hours.

Back with "work your proper hours day", the TUC draws on Labour Force Survey data to show that some 5 million people regularly work unpaid overtime (about one in four of us, in other words).

It is asking people to play their part in the campaign, offering e-cards, posters and other materials on its dedicated website, and urging people to tackle their own long hours problem with a personal long hours calculator.

I would write more about this, but, of course, I have to prioritise other things if I am going to go home on time today.