How the Panama schedule works
Like every 2-2-3 schedule, a Panama crew works 2 days, has 2 off, works 3, has 2 off, works 2 and has 3 off over a 14-day cycle. That's 7 twelve-hour shifts every two weeks, or 42 hours a week on average.
What makes it "Panama" is the rotation between day and night shifts. In the most common version, which this calendar uses, a crew works four weeks of day shifts, then four weeks of night shifts, so the whole cycle takes 56 days. Some employers switch every two weeks instead. If that's yours, pick "2-2-3 rotating (switch every 2 weeks)" in the calendar.
Four crews keep the operation running 24/7: two on days and two on nights at any time, each pair alternating so one works while the other is off.
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · |
| Crew B | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D |
| Crew C | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · |
| Crew D | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N |
Employers use "Panama" for both the 2-week and 4-week day/night switch. Pick whichever matches your crew.
| 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 | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · |
| Crew B | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N |
| Crew C | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · |
| Crew D | · | · | D | D | · | · | · | N | N | · | · | N | N | N | · | · | N | N | · | · | · | D | D | · | · | D | D | D |
Panama schedule at a glance
- Cycle length
- 56 days
- Shifts per year
- about 183
- Average hours per week
- 42
- Hours in a single week
- 24 to 60
- Weekends fully off per year
- about 26 of 52
- Longest break
- 3 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.
Panama vs. Pitman
Panama and Pitman share the same 2-2-3 rhythm, so your days on and off look the same. The difference is that Pitman crews usually stay on fixed days or nights, while Panama crews rotate. If your crew never switches shifts, use the Pitman calendar.
Pros and cons
What people like
- Every other weekend off (Friday to Sunday).
- Everyone shares day and night shifts fairly.
- Longer blocks on one shift (four weeks) are easier on sleep than fast rotation.
- Never more than 3 shifts in a row.
What's hard
- Switching between days and nights still disrupts sleep every few weeks.
- 12-hour shifts.
- Never more than 3 days off at a time.
- Uneven weekly hours and paychecks.
Who uses the Panama schedule
Variations
- Panama, switching every 4 weeks
- Four weeks of days, then four of nights (56-day cycle). This page's calendar starts here.
- Panama, switching every 2 weeks
- Two weeks of days, then two of nights (28-day cycle). See the 2-2-3 schedule.
- Fixed (no switching)
- If your crew stays on days or nights, you're on a Pitman schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Panama schedule?
A Panama schedule is a 2-2-3 rotating shift pattern with 12-hour shifts and four crews, where crews alternate between day and night shifts. You work 2 days, are off 2, work 3, are off 2, work 2 and are off 3, and then switch between days and nights every few weeks.
How many hours is a Panama schedule?
An average of 42 hours a week, or 84 hours every two weeks. Weekly hours vary, for example 36 one week and 48 the next, depending on how the cycle lines up with your pay week.
Do you get overtime on a Panama schedule?
It depends on where your employer starts its pay week. The rotation always averages 42 hours, but a single week can be 36 and the next 48, or 24 and then 60, depending on how the 14-day cycle lines up with the pay week. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, most hourly workers earn overtime for hours over 40 in a workweek, so many 2-2-3 workers get a few hours of overtime every other week. Public safety agencies and hospitals can use different overtime periods, so check with your HR or payroll office.
Why is it called the Panama schedule?
Nobody seems to know for sure. The name is widely used in US police departments and industry, but there's no reliable record of where it came from. What matters is the pattern itself: 2-2-3 with crews rotating between days and nights.
Is Panama the same as 2-2-3?
Panama is a type of 2-2-3 schedule. All 2-2-3 schedules share the same on/off rhythm; Panama specifically means crews rotate between day and night shifts.
How often do you switch from days to nights on a Panama schedule?
Usually every four weeks, though some employers switch every two weeks. The calendar on this page lets you choose either.
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.