diff --git a/api/ECNQueue.py b/api/ECNQueue.py
index e38cb70..41ba393 100644
--- a/api/ECNQueue.py
+++ b/api/ECNQueue.py
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
 # Imports
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------#
-import os, time, email, re
+import os, time, email, re, datetime
+from dateutil.parser import parse
 from typing import Union
 import json
 
@@ -264,6 +265,22 @@ def __getAssignedTo(self) -> str:
 		"""
 		assignedTo = self.__getMostRecentHeaderByType("Assigned-To")
 		return assignedTo
+	
+	def __getFormattedDate(self, date: str) -> str:
+		"""Returns the date/time recieved properly formatted.
+		Returns empty string if the string argument passed to the function is not a datetime
+
+		Returns:
+			str: Properly formatted date/time recieved or empty string.
+		"""
+		try:
+			objDateRecieved = parse(date)
+		except:
+			return ""
+
+		formattedDateRecieved = objDateRecieved.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S%z")
+
+		return formattedDateRecieved
 
 	def toJson(self) -> dict:
 		"""Returns a JSON safe representation of the item.
@@ -345,4 +362,4 @@ def getQueues() -> list:
 		if isDirectory and isValid:
 			queues.append(Queue(file))
 
-	return queues
\ No newline at end of file
+	return queues	
\ No newline at end of file