To not understand the third week of the month

[justlikebuses]

Is today the end of the third week of November?
How is the third week determined, always on the 21st or the third week where there are days in the same month, even though the first week may only contain less than 7 days?

I'be been asked to prepare a document that includes not only the words "end of the third week" but also the specific dates

It isn't a precise thing. Traditionally Sunday is the first day of the week so you could say today is the first day of the fourth week but as this month the 1st was in the middle of week that is misleading.

There's no rule which determines exactly how you change "the third week in November" into specific dates and certainly no way of doing that consistently for different months.

How has the request precisely been phrased?

It's for work directions. A task needs to be completed by the end of the third week each month, and for clarity the date needs to be included for each month.

The person requesting it is not contactable for two weeks and this needs to be sent by the end of this next working week.

I'm super confused!

Yeah it needs to be sent by the end of the third week

What happened last month?

Traditionally Sunday is the first day of the week so

I'm pretty sure in the UK Monday is the first day of the week.

I would say we are at the end of the third week now. The first week was not a full week though.

Monday is the first day of the week surely? Sunday is the weekend.

Surely the third week of November is the third week with November days in it?! Also week begins Monday in the UK now?! YANBU to want clarity though, I would always use “W/C date” for the Monday of specified date, else it leads to ambiguity. If the 1st November was a Sunday, for example, that may be confusing to count that Sunday as the first week of November (even though I think it is).

Not traditionally. Some calendars will still show Sunday as the first day.

I typed another whole reply and lost it.

It makes no sense to add in specific dates but if I had to I'd go for the 3rd Friday in every month. It won't mean the dates are evenly spaced though.

@wokbun so you'd say the 26th November would be the end of the third week and the 24th for December?

No, I'd say 17th November because that's the end of the third week in which there was some of November!

I'm leaning toward that way of thinking. So the latest the task would be completed is 21st each month.

21st would only be if the 1st of the month was a Monday...like in January next year.

If it's the third week of this month then that would be today.

First week is the first week that contains a Wednesday in that month (or a Thursday depending on what date you start the week, but for work week, ) I think Wednesday most intuitive, as the majority of the (work) week is in that month.

there is an ISO standard that sort of covers this, but not quite, therefore there is no ‘right’ answer. Its quite common for computer algorithms to have to define it, and generally similar to above depending on application.

It's definitely confusing me.
I think I'm going to go with majority so far and say that the end of November 2023 would be 19th (today). December would be 17th, January 21st.

I'd write the third Friday in November instead of the end of the third week and end up with a specific date that way.

If pushed for what the "third week" meant though, I'd probably exclude it as a week if it started after Wednesday (for work purposes) but I don't know that it would be that tightly defined.

A task needs to be completed by the end of the third week each month
Do you know why? That information might help.

This is a good point - in my organisation this would usually be papers for a meeting so if you know the meeting is on the 4th Friday you know the papers need to be on the 3rd Friday (or whatever).

Just say 'by the 21st of each month or the prior working day (ie Fri 19th)'

Why is it such a big deal?

Can you just use Working Day 15 instead of a specific date? Or Month end - 5. 20/21 working days in most months.

I'm preparing a document handed down by a court who have ordered a task be done by the end of the third week of the month. My manager would like for the person completing the task to not be late with it, as it's court ordered. But court are refusing to elaborate 🙄

Haha when I read the title I thought you were being obtuse OP but you’re totally right. The instructions you have been given are very confusing!

Do it at the soonest date

So today

I would suggest picking say, the third Tuesday of every month. So, although the actual date may change, it will just always be the third Tuesday. Easier that way.

The earliest the date can be is if the 1st falls on a Friday. The third Friday (?end of third week?) will be 15th. Make '15th' your deadline, not 'third Friday/ third week'.
Is the 15th achievable?