Module 5

Time, calendars and distance: time zones, weekends, holidays, deadlines and working remotely

The same hour of the day is a different thing in different places. When it is mid-afternoon in London, it is the middle of the night in Los Angeles and the middle of the next morning in Sydney. Some countries work from Monday to Friday, some from Sunday to Thursday, some six days a week. Holidays fall on different days, and some follow lunar calendars and move every year. A deadline ‘by the end of the week’ may be Thursday in one office and Friday in another. For an international lawyer this is not a matter of convenience. A missed filing, a misunderstood closing date or a call that is always at one person’s midnight can cost money, goodwill and health. This module covers the mechanics of time across borders and the fairness of how the burden is shared. The Meeting Window Finder in the labs scores every start hour for a group of people in different places. It does not know public holidays or daylight-saving changes, which you must check yourself.

General education on communicating across cultures, using invented people, companies and places. It is not legal advice and does not describe any nation or group as a whole. Rules on bribery, privilege, confidentiality, data protection and professional conduct differ between countries and change: check the rules that apply to you.