How the 9/80 schedule works
Over two weeks you work eight 9-hour days and one 8-hour day, for 80 hours in nine days instead of ten. The usual setup is Monday to Thursday at 9 hours each week, with an 8-hour Friday one week and Friday off the next.
That's about 26 three-day weekends a year with no change in total hours or pay.
To set it up in the calendar, pick a date that was a Monday in a week with a working Friday and choose the first day of the 4-day block.
| Week 1 | Week 2 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
| Crew A | D | D | D | D | H | · | · | D | D | D | D | · | · | · |
H = short day (8 hours); D = full day (9 hours).
Set your anchor to a Monday in the week that has a working Friday.
9/80 schedule at a glance
- Cycle length
- 14 days
- Shifts per year
- about 234
- Average hours per week
- 40
- Hours in a single week
- 36 to 44
- Weekends fully off per year
- Every weekend
- Longest break
- 3 days in a row
- Day shift (typical)
- 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Short day shift (typical)
- 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Calculated from the rotation itself, assuming the cycle starts on a Monday. Your weekends and holidays depend on how your employer lines up the cycle, so set your own date in the calendar above.
How 9/80 avoids overtime
A plain Monday-to-Sunday count would give 44 hours one week and 36 the next, which would mean overtime. Employers usually avoid that by starting the official workweek in the middle of the 8-hour Friday, so each workweek has exactly 40 hours. Ask payroll how yours is set up.
Pros and cons
What people like
- Every other Friday off: about 26 long weekends a year.
- Same total hours and pay.
- One fewer commute every two weeks.
- Very predictable.
What's hard
- Nine-hour days are long.
- The workweek setup can be confusing for overtime.
- Not every role can be covered on the off Fridays.
Who uses the 9/80 schedule
Variations
- Monday off instead of Friday
- Some teams take every other Monday off. Change your anchor date to match.
- 4/10 (four tens)
- Every Friday off with 10-hour days. See the 4 on 3 off schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 9/80 schedule?
A compressed schedule where you work 80 hours in nine days over two weeks: eight 9-hour days and one 8-hour day, with every other Friday (or Monday) off.
Do you get overtime on a 9/80?
Usually not. Employers typically start the workweek halfway through the 8-hour Friday so that each workweek has exactly 40 hours. Some states have daily overtime rules, so employers there need special arrangements.
How many Fridays off do you get on a 9/80?
About 26 a year, every other Friday. The calendar shows each one.
How do holidays work on a 9/80?
It depends on your employer. If a holiday falls on a 9-hour day, some employers pay 8 hours of holiday pay and let you make up or use leave for the extra hour.
This page is general information, not legal or payroll advice. Calendars are for personal planning: confirm your official schedule, pay and overtime with your employer.