Daylight saving time changes the UTC offset used by a location. The meeting itself does not move in absolute time, but the local clock shown to each participant can move. The risk is highest when two regions change clocks on different dates or when one region changes and another does not.
Why familiar differences temporarily change
New York and London are usually five hours apart, but the United States and United Kingdom do not change clocks on the same weekends. During the gap, the difference can be four hours. Similar temporary shifts affect Europe’s relationship with Canada, Mexico, India, the Gulf and much of Asia.
Use date-aware tools
A conversion for today is not enough for a meeting next month. Use the time-zone converter with the actual meeting date. It applies the rule associated with each selected city on that date.
Check recurring meetings twice a year
Review global recurring meetings before the spring and autumn transition seasons. State the organizer’s intended anchor: for example, “always 9:00 AM New York time” or “always 2:00 PM UTC.” Those are not the same rule.
Do not rely on abbreviations
EST means a fixed UTC−05:00 offset, while Eastern Time can mean EST or EDT depending on the date. City names and IANA zone identifiers are clearer and safer.
Put the method into practice
Convert a specific date and time or compare up to four participant locations. No account or calendar connection is required.