How the DuPont schedule works
Each DuPont crew works this 28-day cycle: 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then 7 days off. That's 14 twelve-hour shifts every 4 weeks, which averages 42 hours a week.
Four crews are each one week apart in the cycle, so on every day exactly one crew works the day shift and one works the night shift, while the other two are off.
The famous 7-day break comes right after the last block of day shifts, once every four weeks. The price for it is one heavy week: in the busiest seven days of the cycle you work 6 shifts, or 72 hours.
Some employers run the mirror image, starting with days instead of nights: 4 days, 3 off, 3 nights, 1 off, 3 days, 3 off, 4 nights, 7 off. Both versions are in the calendar, so pick the one your crew uses.
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
| Crew A | N | N | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | D | · | N | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | D | D | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Crew B | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | N | N | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | D | · | N | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | D | D |
| Crew C | · | · | · | D | D | D | D | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | N | N | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | D | · | N | N | N |
| Crew D | D | D | D | · | N | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | D | D | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | N | N | N | N | · | · | · |
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
| Crew A | D | D | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | N | · | D | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | N | N | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Crew B | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | D | D | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | N | · | D | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | N | N |
| Crew C | · | · | · | N | N | N | N | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | D | D | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | N | · | D | D | D |
| Crew D | N | N | N | · | D | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | N | N | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | D | D | D | D | · | · | · |
DuPont schedule at a glance
- Cycle length
- 28 days
- Shifts per year
- about 183
- Average hours per week
- 42
- Hours in a single week
- 0 to 72
- Weekends fully off per year
- about 26 of 52
- Longest break
- 7 days in a row
- Day shift (typical)
- 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
- Night shift (typical)
- 7:00 pm – 7:00 am (next day)
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.
Where the name comes from
The schedule is named after the DuPont chemical company, which developed it for plants that run around the clock. It spread to refineries, paper mills, utilities and other continuous-process industries.
Pros and cons
What people like
- A full week off every four weeks: great for trips and long projects.
- Only 14 workdays every 4 weeks.
- Every crew shares days and nights equally.
- Plenty of 3-day breaks in between.
What's hard
- One very heavy week with 72 hours of work.
- Frequent switches between days and nights.
- Only one day off between some day and night blocks.
- 12-hour shifts.
Who uses the DuPont schedule
Variations
- DuPont starting on nights
- The classic version: 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, 7 off.
- DuPont starting on days
- The mirror image, with days and nights swapped. Also in the calendar.
- "Modified DuPont"
- There's no single modified DuPont. Employers adjust the order, add a fifth relief crew, or slow down the day/night rotation. If yours differs, build it exactly with the custom schedule builder.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DuPont schedule?
The DuPont schedule is a 12-hour rotating shift pattern for 24/7 operations. Four crews each follow a 28-day cycle of 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, and 7 days off.
How many hours a week is the DuPont schedule?
It averages 42 hours a week (168 hours every 4 weeks). Weeks vary a lot: the busiest 7 days in a row have 72 hours of work, and the week off has none. How that splits into pay weeks depends on where your employer starts the workweek.
How many days off do you get on a DuPont schedule?
You work 14 days and are off 14 days every 4 weeks. That includes one 7-day break, two 3-day breaks and one single day off per cycle.
Do you get overtime on a DuPont schedule?
Usually some, because some weeks go well over 40 hours. Under federal law most hourly workers earn overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, so the 60- and 72-hour weeks typically include overtime pay. Exactly how much depends on your employer's pay week and any union contract.
What does "4-3-3-4" mean?
It's another name for the DuPont schedule, from its blocks of 4 nights, 3 days, 3 nights and 4 days. (Be careful: "4 on 3 off" is a completely different weekly schedule.)
Is the DuPont schedule hard?
Many workers love the week off but find the 72-hour week and the quick switches from days to nights tiring. It helps to plan sleep around the switch. Some people use the 1-day break before night shifts to shift their sleep later.
How do I see my DuPont schedule for the year?
Choose DuPont and your crew in the calendar on this page, then enter a date you know and what you were on. You can view the whole year or add it to Google, Apple or Outlook calendar (on the website you can also print it).
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.