Tests Deadline Date

[tali1]

Friend had to do some online assessment for a job application.The email stated ONLY "You have until the 2nd July 2019, to complete all three tests."
He tried to do the assessment on that date but was told it was now closed.He later enquired and was told "The tests closed at 5pm on the 2nd and if you attempted to access them after this time or date then they will not be available to you,if you did not complete them then it will show this attempt as being unsuccessful and will have to wait for 6 months to reapply"
Surely , that can't be right ? "You have until the 2nd July 2019, to complete all three tests."- means till 2nd July 2019 23.59hrs ?

[fiction-factory]

Bit last minute. A good learning experience to check all the details

[Prudie]

Unfortunately an incorrect assumption has been made. If you had to submit something to a Post Office by 2nd July you wouldn't assume that meant midnight would you for example.

[Buenchico]

Hmmm.

I'm not sure that I agree.

If I was submitting a postal job application to a company, with a deadline of 2 July, I'd assume that the requirement was for me to get my application in by the close of business (which might well be 5pm) on that date. So it might not be unreasonable to assume a similar deadline for electronic applications.

[Calicogirl]

I would actually have assumed it would close at midnight on 1st July, but that's just my opinion.

[TonyV]

The company had set a deadline and your friend didn't comply with it.

[Prudie]

And yes calico I also hovered over the midnight on the 1st interpretation.

[Calicogirl]

Yeah Prudie, well it says "You have UNTIL the 2nd July 2019, to complete all three tests." so I would take that as being UNTIL the 2nd starts

[tali1]

Calicogirl -exactly.And if there was a 5pm deadline (whatever the time was even if business hours it should have been stated beforehand) it was never mentioned until my friend enquired.

[tali1]

Sorry i read your post wrong i thought you meant 3rd July

[Calicogirl]

'Until' generally before the start of though Tali. Very sorry for your friend though :(

[THECORBYLOON]

I always telt folk that "by" (in relation to a date) could mean before that date or on that date, depending on who was reading it. My advice was always to say "before" to avoid any confusion.

Although it may be that the deadline should have run out at 11:59pm, it's not unreasonable to expect applicants to complete the actions well before that time.

[tali1]

Calicogirl looking online it seems lots are getting ina twist about it.It is highly ambigous.I go with this ."Here it states It therefore seems that “until” plus a date includes that date. Let’s examine the essay sentence we mentioned at the beginning of this article: A teacher tells you that you have until April 26 to turn in an essay. Is it due on April 25 or April 26? You’d probably be safe turning in your essay on April 26." https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/does-until-include-the-date

[fiction-factory]

Yes, but if I knew the teacher went home at 6pm I would assume it had to be in by then.
When i ask for homework in by Friday (so i can mark it over the weekend) I don't mean drop it off at school at say 11pm on Friday night

[THECORBYLOON]

TALI1, hence my advice always to say "before" and not "by" a certain date.

[jno]

if the company he was applying to closes their offices at 5pm, it's hardly amazing that someone would switch the application forms off before going home for the night. (Yes, I know they could be switched off automatically at midnight, but there's no reason why they should be.)

The lesson is not to leave things to the last minute. The outcome would have been jsut the same if you'd done it before 5pm and then your computer froze.

[tali1]

closes their offices ????? Its online the www 24/7 365!!!!!!!!!!!

[pixie374]

I would have assumed by 11:59 PM on 1st July.

[TonyV]

tali1 and you think someone is monitoring e-mails 24/7 to personnel department?

[Captain2]

I'm more interested in when your 'friend' found out they had to do the assessment by that date.
If 2-3 days before the deadline, fair enough to leave it until the 'last day.'
Any longer than 3 days then they should have done it well before the cut off point to show interest and willingness to be applying for the position.
Procrastination is the thief of time.

[tali1]

TonyV emails ? Its a test .I don;t know if tests run to business hrs .I think when shops close for the day , their online shops are still open for business 24/7 ?