diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 272a685637471c79372b2eb194e70423eae71ed0..d4dc20a45aabf71a51edc4645fb091ae447373fd 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ stages:
           "https://api.github.com/repos/${GITHUB_REPOSITORY}/statuses/${GITHUB_SHA}" \
           -d '{"state":"'"${STATE}"'",
                "target_url":"'"${CI_PIPELINE_URL}"'",
-               "description":"'"${DESCRIPTION}"'",
+               "description":"'"${DESCRIPTION} $(TZ=America/New_York date)"'",
                "context":"eicweb/reconstruction_benchmarks ('"$DETECTOR_CONFIG"')"
               }' ;
       fi
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ benchmarks:reconstruction:pending:
   extends: .status
   variables:
     STATE: "pending"
-    DESCRIPTION: "The reconstruction benchmarks are running..."
+    DESCRIPTION: "Started..."
   when: always
 
 common:setup:
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ benchmarks:reconstruction:success:
   extends: .status
   variables:
     STATE: "success"
-    DESCRIPTION: "The reconstruction benchmarks succeeded!"
+    DESCRIPTION: "Succeeded!"
   when: on_success
 
 benchmarks:reconstruction:failure:
@@ -135,5 +135,5 @@ benchmarks:reconstruction:failure:
   extends: .status
   variables:
     STATE: "failure"
-    DESCRIPTION: "The reconstruction benchmarks failed!"
+    DESCRIPTION: "Failed!"
   when: on_failure