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3-4-4-3 schedule
The 3-4-4-3 schedule is 3 days on, 4 days off, 4 days on and 3 days off, a 14-day cycle of 12-hour shifts. You work 7 shifts every two weeks, 84 hours, an average of 42 a week. It is the 4-3-3-4 started at a different point. Started on a Monday, a crew works only weekdays, so it suits plants that run Monday to Friday with long shifts.
By Asier Fernández ·
3-4-4-3 at a glance
- Cycle
- 14 days
- Shift length
- 12 hours
- Hours a week
- 42
- Hours a year
- 2,190
- Most shifts in a row
- 4
- Longest break
- 4 days
A week-by-week view
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | D | D | off | off | off | off | 36 |
| 2 | D | D | D | D | off | off | off | 48 |
Started on a Monday, week 1 is Monday to Wednesday and week 2 is Monday to Thursday, so every weekend is free: 52 full weekends off in 2027. Start the cycle on another day and the work days slide into the weekend: as few as 0. That is why plants pair two crews on opposite halves of the cycle, one covering Monday to Thursday and the other Thursday to Sunday, and still need relief to cover every day.
3-4-4-3 or 4-3-3-4?
They are the same cycle read from a different day: the 4-3-3-4 starts with the four-shift block. What changes is which days of the week your crew works. Compare both in the calendar with the same start date.
Overtime
The weeks alternate between 36 and 48 hours. With a Monday workweek, the 48-hour week has 8 hours of federal overtime, about 208 hours a year; moving the workweek start changes it, up to 208 (29 CFR 778.105). Choose “3-4-4-3” in the shift calendar to get your year, with every crew, holidays and a file for your phone.
More guides
Figures are worked out from each cycle; rules checked against official sources on . How we calculate
Questions
What is a 3-4-4-3 schedule?
3 days on, 4 off, 4 on, 3 off: a 14-day cycle of 12-hour shifts, 7 shifts and 84 hours every two weeks.
How many hours is a 3-4-4-3 schedule?
84 hours every two weeks, an average of 42 a week and about 2,184 a year.
Does the 3-4-4-3 give weekends off?
Yes, if the cycle starts on a Monday: every weekend is free (52 in 2027). Started on other days it gives fewer.
What is the difference between 3-4-4-3 and 4-3-3-4?
None in the cycle itself: the 4-3-3-4 starts with the four-shift block. The days of the week you work depend on where your crew starts.
How much overtime is on a 3-4-4-3?
With a Monday workweek, 8 hours every other week (about 208 a year). It depends on where the employer starts the workweek.