DuPont Schedule Calculator
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate the DuPont shift schedule — The DuPont rotation: a 28-day cycle of 12-hour shifts — 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then the famous 7 days off. See your average weekly hours, annual hours, and the next weeks of the rotation from any start date.
Quick answer: The DuPont Schedule runs a 28-day cycle with 14 shifts of 12 hours — averaging 42.0 hours/week (2190 hours/year) across 4 crews for continuous coverage.
The Pattern
The DuPont rotation: a 28-day cycle of 12-hour shifts — 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then the famous 7 days off. Four numbers define it:
| Cycle length | 28 days | Shifts per cycle | 14 x 12h |
| Average week | 42.0 hours | Annual hours | ~2190 |
| Crews for 24/7 | 4 | Typical users | chemical plants, refineries, manufacturing |
Worked Example
At $28/hour, the 42.0-hour average week grosses about $1,176/week — but pay varies BY WEEK with the rotation: weeks containing more shifts cross 40 hours and trigger overtime under weekly-OT rules, while light weeks run short. Many employers average or use period-based agreements; check how yours handles the heavy weeks.
Strengths and Trade-offs
Works well: a full 7-day break every cycle without using leave; crews love the built-in vacation.
Watch for: the 72-hour week inside the cycle is brutal, and day/night flips within the same cycle challenge sleep. Night blocks also trigger night differentials where policy provides.
Overtime and Pay-Period Mechanics
Fixed-cycle schedules interact awkwardly with weekly overtime laws: a 28-day cycle does not align with 7-day workweeks, so some weeks exceed 40 hours even though the AVERAGE is 42.0. US employers handle it with premium built into rates, period agreements, or straight OT payment on heavy weeks; California daily rules add 1.5x past 8 hours (2x past 12) on every 12-hour shift unless an alternative workweek was adopted — see the California overtime calculator.
Living on This Rotation
Sleep research favors forward rotation and consistent blocks; the long off-stretches are this pattern’s reward — plan them like mini-vacations rather than recovery-only time. Swaps should trade like-for-like blocks to keep the cycle (and the pay averaging) intact. For planning days off around the rotation, the cycle preview below maps any month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DuPont shift schedule?
The DuPont rotation: a 28-day cycle of 12-hour shifts — 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then the famous 7 days off. It averages 42.0 hours/week over the 28-day cycle.
How many hours a year is this schedule?
About 2190 hours — 14 shifts x 12 hours per 28-day cycle, across 365 days.
Does this pattern trigger overtime?
Weeks with more shifts than average can exceed 40 hours even though the cycle averages 42.0 — weekly-OT jurisdictions owe premiums on those weeks unless a lawful averaging agreement applies.
How many crews does 24/7 coverage need?
4 crews rotate this pattern for continuous coverage — each crew offset within the cycle.
Why does DuPont have a 7-day break?
The 28-day cycle front-loads 14 twelve-hour shifts into three weeks, buying an entire seventh-day-to-seventh-day week off every cycle.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026