3 on 3 off Schedule Calendar

3 on 3 off Schedule at a glance

Cycle

6 days

Shift length

12 hours

Crews for 24/7

4

Hours a week

42

Hours a year

2,190

Days off per cycle

3

What is a 3 on 3 off schedule?

A 3 on 3 off schedule is three 12-hour shifts followed by three days off, a 6-day cycle. The rotating version alternates 3 days and 3 nights with 3 days off in between, a 12-day cycle for four crews.

One cycle, crew by crew

Days only (6 days)

Rotating days/nights (12 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 3 on 3 off schedule template

Working a 3 on 3 off schedule

On a 3 on 3 off schedule you work three 12-hour shifts and then have three days off, a 6-day cycle. It is common in hospitals and care homes. Because the cycle is 6 days, your days move one day earlier each week and you get every day of the week off in turn.

Do not confuse it with "three 12s a week", the usual hospital contract of 36 hours. 3 on 3 off averages 42 hours a week, because you work half of all days: about 182 shifts a year instead of about 156.

Weeks alternate in runs between 3 shifts (36 hours) and 4 shifts (48 hours), so overtime comes in some weeks and not others. In the rotating version, three days and three nights are separated by three days off, which gives time to change your sleep.

Overtime on a 3 on 3 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 3 on 3 off schedule?

Hours a year = hours worked in one cycle × 365 ÷ days in the cycle. Days only: 36 h × 365 ÷ 6 = 2,190 h. These are scheduled hours; overtime, leave and swaps change your own total.

3 on 3 off pay calculator: hours, overtime and pay a year at your hourly rate.

3 on 3 off Schedule pros and cons

3 on 3 off Schedule calendar 2027

An example year with Crew A starting its cycle on Monday, January 4, 2027; the other crews follow 3 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 3 on 3 off schedule?

Hospitals, care homes and continuous production.

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
• 2 on 2 off Schedule4-day cycle, 42 h a week
• 4-3-3-4 Schedule14-day cycle, 42 h a week

Questions