US shift hours, in Cairo time

The four US time zones

US business days run roughly from 9 AM to 6 PM local time. The mainland has four time zones, from east to west: Eastern (New York, Florida), Central (Chicago, most of Texas), Mountain (Denver) and Pacific (California, Seattle). Each zone is an hour behind the one to its east.

For most of the year, New York is 7 hours behind Cairo, so an East Coast 9 AM–6 PM day is 4 PM–1 AM in Cairo. Central time runs an hour later (5 PM–2 AM), Mountain two hours later (6 PM–3 AM) and the West Coast three hours later (7 PM–4 AM).

When the clocks change

Both countries change their clocks, but not on the same days. The US moves its clocks forward an hour on the second Sunday of March and back on the first Sunday of November. Egypt uses summer time from the last Friday of April to the last Thursday of October.

Most of the year the two changes cancel out and New York stays 7 hours behind Cairo. But for a few weeks in spring, from the second Sunday of March to the last Friday of April, and for a short spell in autumn, from the last Thursday of October to the first Sunday of November, the gap shrinks to 6 hours. In those weeks an East Coast day runs from 3 PM to midnight in Cairo, and the other zones start an hour earlier too. Most of Arizona doesn't change its clocks at all, so during US summer time it matches Pacific time. Egypt's summer time rules have changed in past years too, so if a shift ever looks an hour off, check the table below.

Today's US working day in Cairo time

The table below is live: it takes a 9 AM–6 PM working day in each US time zone and converts it to Cairo time for today, with the clock changes included. Look again in March, April, October and November, when the gap moves.

Real shifts don't always run exactly 9 to 6. A company may start earlier or later, run several shifts, or follow the time zone of its own office. The job page shows the exact hours.

Reading a job's hours

Job pages write hours in different ways: some in Cairo time, some in US time with the zone, some in both. If you only see US time, use the table above to convert it. Weekend jobs for US companies usually follow the US weekend, Saturday and Sunday. When either country changes its clocks, your shift in Cairo time can move by an hour, and the company tells you its exact schedule.

The apply form asks you to confirm you can work the job's hours, so be honest with yourself. Think about the whole week: getting home after a late on-site shift, family occasions, your studies and Ramadan evenings. For on-site jobs that end late, check how you'll get home; some companies provide transport, and the job says so when they do.

A healthy routine on night shifts

Night work is easier when your days have a clear shape. If you have a health condition, talk to your doctor before taking on regular night shifts. These habits make US hours easier to keep:

• Keep the same sleep hours every day, including days off, so your body has one routine to settle into.
• Make your bedroom dark and quiet for daytime sleep: blackout curtains, an eye mask or earplugs all help.
• Eat your main meal before your shift, keep food during the shift light, and have a proper meal when you wake.
• Drink tea and coffee early in the shift rather than near the end, so they don't get in the way of sleep.
• Get some daylight and movement after you wake up, and stand up and stretch during breaks.
• Give yourself a short wind-down after the shift, like a shower and time away from screens, before you try to sleep.
• Protect family time: share a meal before your shift starts and plan your days off together.