In 2015 researchers from the University of Southern California and Yahoo Labs studied 16 billion emails sent by more than 2 million Yahoo Mail users. Half of all replies came within 47 minutes. The most likely reply time was two minutes. More than 90 percent of replies came within a day.
Twenty Working Days
Under the Freedom of Information Act, federal agencies generally decide within 20 working days whether to release the records a citizen has requested. An agency may take more time only in unusual circumstances, and it must tell the requester in writing. Under the rules of the Inspector General at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the notice states the reasons and the date on which a decision is expected.
Before the Time Expires
In federal civil cases, a party that needs more time should ask before the deadline passes. The court may then extend the time “for good cause.” A party that asks after the deadline has passed must show that it failed to act “because of excusable neglect.”
Asking early needs a reason. Asking late needs an excuse.
The Thirty-Minute Rule
Under federal rules, an airline flying to, from or within the United States must tell passengers about a cancellation, a diversion or a delay of 30 minutes or more. It must do so “within 30 minutes after the carrier becomes aware of such a change in the status of a flight.” The information must appear at the boarding gate at U.S. airports, on the airline’s website and through its telephone reservation line.
The Delay Notice
A seller in the United States who takes orders by mail, phone or internet must have a reasonable basis for any shipping promise. Without a stated date, the seller must be able to ship within 30 days. If the order cannot ship on time, the seller must tell the customer and offer to cancel the order with “a full and prompt refund.”
The rule leaves no room for silence: “no notification to the customer can take longer than the time you originally promised.”
Quick Turnaround
ASAP. — As soon as possible.
Sorry for the delayed response. — An apology for a reply that took a day or two.
Quick question. — A short question that should get a short answer.
Just a heads-up: this will take until Friday. — The extra time is announced before anyone asks.
On it. — I have started.
Any update? — Silence has gone on too long.
Super Saturday
American retailers call the last Saturday before Christmas Super Saturday. For 2023, the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights expected about 142 million people to shop on that day, in stores or online. In 2017 the forecast had been 126 million.
Fallingwater
On September 22, 1935, Edgar Kaufmann called Frank Lloyd Wright from Milwaukee to say that he was driving over to see the drawings for his new house. Wright had nothing on paper. “Come right along E.J., we’re ready for you,” he answered. According to his apprentice Edgar Tafel, Wright drew the plans while the apprentices watched, and finished shortly before Kaufmann arrived.
The story is famous and disputed. A popular version says the drawings took about two hours, and at least one critic doubts it. The Carnegie Magazine account adds that the plans “were not a spur-of-the-moment exercise.”
Notice of Late Filing
An American public company that cannot file its annual report on time files a notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission, known as Form NT 10-K. A timely notice gives an automatic grace period of 15 days for the annual report, and five days for a quarterly report.
The warning helps, but it does not remove the cost. The business-school professors Eli Bartov of NYU and Yaniv Konchitchki of Berkeley found that stock prices fall after these notices. Investors “do not accept at face value management assertions about the expected filing date.”
The Trade Deadline
Major League Baseball teams may trade players until a fixed deadline in midsummer. In 2024 the deadline was 6 p.m. Eastern time on July 30. The pitcher Jack Flaherty was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers minutes before it.
In the National Hockey League, deadline day in 2020 and again in 2022 set a record of 32 trades.