Want to know the business days in the USA? The short and concise guide will make you familiar with when and how long businesses operate in the USA
What Are Business Days?
Depending on where you stay, a business day may also be called a ‘working day’ or ‘business hours’. But the meaning stays the same, that is, a typical day or time of the day in which normal business operations are held. The days and times apart from the business days are legal holidays and many businesses are authorized or required by the law to close on those days. A typical business day varies from country or region and is defined by local practices, traditions, and customs.
Why Do We Need Business Days In USA?
Business days and business hours are required to bring an orderly measure to work. It helps everyone uniformly plan the work they have to do themselves, or have work done by some other businesses. Business days help balance work time and leisure time, although many still claim that the USA is having longer and more stringent working hours than many countries in Europe.
The most common way of encountering a business day is when a consumer has to do bank-related work such as depositing a cheque. Depending on the size of the cheque, and the location of the issuer, the processing might take 2 – 3 business days. The USA business days do not include weekends or any other public holidays. Therefore, if you want to get a good measure of the business hours and days in the region you stay in, check for the timings of your local bank.
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Traditional Business Days In The USA
The traditional working days in the USA are from Monday to Friday, and the working hours are between 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The standard workweek in the United States is 40 hours long, but many employees work overtime due to the quantity of work, or to earn an overtime allowance. But the specific timings change with the type of work you are doing.
Daylight Savings Time
The Daylight Savings or DS is the act of moving the clock ahead by one hour so that there is more daylight during the evenings and less daylight during the mornings. Except Arizona, Hawaii and Navajo, most of the continental US observe the Daylight Standard Time.
The Daylight Savings in US commences on the second Sunday in March and culminates on the first Sunday in November. The clock is changed at 2:00 AM local time. During March (spring season), the clocks are moved ahead by 1 hour and during November (fall season), the clocks are moved behind by 1 hour. For easier understanding, remember this popular phrase, ‘Spring Forward, Fall Back’.
USA Time Zones
The USA is a big country, divided into multiple time zones. So, if you are going to do some business activity with an entity in a different USA time zone, please take the time difference into consideration. Here are the main time zones in the USA:
Time Zone | UTC Reference | Reference City |
Hawaii Standard Time | UTC – 10 | Honolulu |
Hawaii – Aleutian Daylight Time | UTC – 9 | Adak |
Alaska Daylight Time | UTC – 8 | Anchorage |
Pacific Time | UTC – 8 / UTC – 7 | Los Angeles |
Mountain Time | UTC – 7 / UTC – 6 | Phoenix |
Central Time | UTC – 6 / UTC – 5 | Chicago |
Eastern Time | UTC – 5 / UTC – 4 | New York |
Note that the Pacific Time, Mountain Time, Central Time and Eastern Time use the Daylight Savings Time. The local time in these zones changes by an hour when daylight savings begins and ends. When daylight savings start, the clocks are put forward by an hour, when daylight savings end, the clocks are turned back by an hour.
General Business Working Hours In The USA
Note that the following times may vary depending on the region you stay in, and also the particular establishment.
Type of Establishment | Business Days in USA |
Banks | Monday to Thursday (9 AM to 5 PM), Friday (9 AM to 6 PM), Saturdays (9 AM to 12 PM) |
Post Offices | Monday to Friday (8:30 AM to 5 PM), Saturday (9 AM to 12 PM) |
Shopping Malls | Monday to Saturday (10 AM to 9 PM), Saturday (11 AM to 6 PM) |
Supermarkets | Monday to Sunday (8 AM to 8 PM). Some stores maybe open for 24 hours as well |
Convenience Stores | Open either till 12 AM or for 24 hours |
Beauty Salons | Tuesday to Saturday (10 AM to 7 PM) |
Bars | Everyday (5 PM to 2 AM) |
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Final Thoughts – Business Days In USA
This must give you a good idea for the business hours in USA. However, please consult your particular business or organization for the actual hours. It is a good practice to confirm if they are working through an Email or a phone call.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Standard Business Hours In The USA?
It is between 9 AM to 5 PM.
What Is The Typical Lunch Hour Time?
It is usually from 12 PM to 1 PM
What Is Usually Open For 24 Hours?
Critical and emergency services such as hospitals, ATMs etc. are open 24 hours.
How To Best Know The Working Hours Of A Company?
Check their website, or if they do not have one, give them a call.
How Many Hours Do Companies Work In A Week In The USA?
Depending on the establishment, they work for around 40 hours.