Small firm Parritt Leng advertises positions with 'intense work ethic' and near-minimum wage

An architectural practice is asking staff to work 14-hour days for £80 a day. Parritt Leng, a London firm, advertised full time positions for part II and part III architects, but it emailed respondents to the advert with an offer of temporary work starting at 8:00am and finishing at 10:00pm.

The email said: “The hours and work ethic are going to be very intense indeed. We would expect you to start work at 8.00am and to finish work at 10.00pm every day from the dates that (we have) stipulated.”

Under these conditions the hourly rate, if workers took a one-hour lunch break, would be £6.15 an hour, which is above the minimum wage of £5.80. However, without the lunch break the salary works out below the minimum wage, at £5.71.

RIBA guidance says that a part 1 architect in London should be paid at least £10.27 an hour.

It is understood that Parrit Leng, a small practice of under 15 staff, is under financial pressure.

Parrit Leng declined to comment.

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