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Shift schedule

DuPont schedule: calendar and hours

A 4-week rotation of 12-hour day and night shifts with a full 7 days off at the end of each cycle.

By i-TimeManagement · Updated · How we calculate

Pattern4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, 7 off
Cycle28 days
Average hours per week42
Hours per year, average2,192
Days worked per yearabout 183
Hours in any 28 days168
Shift length12 hours
Longest run of shifts4 in a row

The DuPont schedule rotates four crews through 12-hour day and night shifts over 28 days. The reward for the hard stretches is a block of 7 days off every four weeks.

The pattern

Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
Hours 12 N 12 N 12 N 12 N off off off 12 12 12 off 12 N 12 N 12 N off off off 12 12 12 12 off off off off off off off

Hours

Over one 28-day cycle that is 168 hours, an average of 42 hours a week. Because the cycle does not line up with a calendar week, some weeks have more hours than others: the calendar above shows each week’s total and the hours over 40.

N marks night shifts in the pattern. The 7 days off can be paired with vacation to make long breaks.

Overtime

Under federal law, most hourly employees get overtime for hours over 40 in their employer’s fixed workweek, whatever the schedule. Fire and police departments can use a longer work period under section 7(k) of the FLSA; for fire protection that is 212 hours in 28 days. State rules and union contracts can add more.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How does the DuPont schedule work?

Over 28 days: 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then 7 days off. Shifts are 12 hours.

How many hours is a DuPont schedule?

168 hours every 28 days, an average of 42 a week.

When do you get 7 days off?

Once in every 28-day cycle.

Other shift schedules

Rotating 12-hour2-2-3 work schedule Also called the Panama or 2-3-2 schedule: 12-hour shifts on a 14-day cycle with every other weekend off. Rotating 12-hour4 on 4 off schedule Four 12-hour shifts, then four days off, on an 8-day cycle that drifts through the week.