Working Remotely for a US Company from the UK: Time Zone Tips
Working for a US company from the UK means shifting your working day later, and planning for the weeks when the gap is one hour smaller.
The shape of the day
With a US east coast employer, your morning is free for focused work and meetings start from 14:00 UK time. With a west coast employer, meetings start from 17:00. Many UK-based remote workers split the day, working in the morning, taking a long break in the afternoon and returning for the US overlap.
Changeover weeks
In March the US changes its clocks about two weeks before the UK, and in autumn the UK changes a week before the US. In those weeks a meeting that is 14:00 in the UK is 10:00 on the US east coast instead of 09:00. Your employer may need to remind teams to check invitations.
Contracts and payroll
Check whether your contract says working hours are in your time zone or the company's. Ask about on-call rotas, because 'overnight' for the US may be daytime for you, and about public holidays, since UK bank holidays differ from US federal holidays.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best working pattern for a UK worker with a US employer?
Many people work an early or late shift pattern so that they are available for the US afternoon overlap, with protected focus time in the UK morning.
Clock change guides
- What Is Daylight Saving Time (DST)? A Plain-English GuideWhat daylight saving time is, how it works in the UK, Europe and the US, why it exists, its history, who uses it and the argument over scrapping it.
- Why Do the Clocks Go Back in October? The Real ReasonThe clocks go back in autumn to return the UK to GMT, so winter mornings are lighter. The history, the rule, what time it happens and what changes for you.
- When Do the Clocks Go Forward Again After Going Back?When the UK clocks go forward again after the autumn change, how long the UK stays on GMT, when evenings get lighter and how to remember to reset your clocks.