2 on 2 off Schedule Calendar

2 on 2 off Schedule at a glance

Cycle

4 days

Shift length

12 hours

Crews for 24/7

4

Hours a week

42

Hours a year

2,190

Days off per cycle

2

What is a 2 on 2 off schedule?

A 2 on 2 off schedule is two 12-hour shifts followed by two days off, a 4-day cycle. The rotating version is 2 days, 2 off, 2 nights, 2 off, an 8-day cycle for four crews.

One cycle, crew by crew

Days only (4 days)

Rotating days/nights (8 days)

Employers often shift the start or swap the order of blocks. If your rota differs, change the start date until the calendar matches a week you already know.

Printable 2 on 2 off schedule template

Working a 2 on 2 off schedule

The 2 on 2 off schedule is the simplest 12-hour pattern: two shifts, two days off, a 4-day cycle. You never work more than two long shifts in a row, which many people find easier on the body than blocks of three or four.

The days off are short, though. Two days rarely feel like a real break, especially after nights, and the pattern gives fewer full weekends than the Pitman or Panama, which group the off days into a three-day weekend.

Many employers turn the 2-2 into a 2-2-3 by adding a three-day block every week; that is the Pitman. If your rota looks like 2 on 2 off with an occasional 3, check the Pitman calendar too.

Overtime on a 2 on 2 off schedule: it depends on the workweek

Federal overtime is due for hours over 40 in a workweek, a fixed 7-day period that your employer chooses and that does not have to start on Monday (29 CFR 778.105). With the same shifts, the day it starts changes how the hours fall into weeks, and so the overtime. Crew A, cycle starting on a Monday:

Compare this pattern with every other 24/7 option in 24/7 shift schedules compared. Federal rule only, before leave and swaps. Daily overtime states such as California count differently: use “Your pay” in the calendar or the shift pay calculator.

How many hours is a 2 on 2 off schedule?

Hours a year = hours worked in one cycle × 365 ÷ days in the cycle. Days only: 24 h × 365 ÷ 4 = 2,190 h. These are scheduled hours; overtime, leave and swaps change your own total.

2 on 2 off pay calculator: hours, overtime and pay a year at your hourly rate.

2 on 2 off Schedule pros and cons

2 on 2 off Schedule calendar 2027

An example year with Crew A starting its cycle on Monday, January 4, 2027; the other crews follow 2 days apart. For your own dates, use the calendar at the top of the page.

Day shifts yellow, nights blue, 24-hour shifts red, US federal holidays with an orange corner.

Who uses the 2 on 2 off schedule?

Healthcare, security and smaller plants.

Similar patterns

• Pitman Schedule14-day cycle, 42 h a week
• Panama Schedule28-day cycle, 42 h a week
• DuPont Schedule28-day cycle, 42 h a week
• 4 on 4 off Schedule8-day cycle, 42 h a week
• 3 on 3 off Schedule6-day cycle, 42 h a week
• 4-3-3-4 Schedule14-day cycle, 42 h a week

Questions