Your shift rota for the whole year

Rotas

• 4 on 4 off Rota16-day cycle, 42 h a weekA 4 on 4 off rota is four 12-hour shifts followed by four days off, an 8-day cycle, so your working days move through the week.
• Continental Shift Pattern8-day cycle, 42 h a weekThe continental shift pattern is 2 days, 2 nights and 4 days off on 12-hour shifts, an 8-day cycle for four teams.
• 2-2-3 Rota (Pitman)14-day cycle, 42 h a weekThe 2-2-3 rota, also called the Pitman, repeats every 14 days: 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off on 12-hour shifts.
• 3 on 3 off Rota12-day cycle, 42 h a weekA 3 on 3 off rota is three 12-hour shifts and three days off.
• 2 on 2 off Rota8-day cycle, 42 h a weekA 2 on 2 off rota is two 12-hour shifts and two days off.
• DuPont Rota28-day cycle, 42 h a weekThe DuPont rota is a 28-day pattern of 12-hour shifts for four teams: 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then 7 days off.
• Earlies, Lates and Nights Rota28-day cycle, 42 h a weekAn earlies, lates and nights rota rotates 8-hour shifts: here 7 earlies, 2 off, 7 lates, 2 off, 7 nights, 3 off, a 28-day cycle for four teams.

Do these rotas meet the Working Time Regulations?

A guide, worked out with assumed start times (12-hour shifts 07:00 and 19:00; 8-hour shifts 06:00, 14:00 and 22:00). Hospitals, care and other services that must run continuously can be exempt from some limits, including night work and rest (reg. 21), and collective or workforce agreements can change others (reg. 23). Northern Ireland has its own regulations with the same limits. Source: Working Time Regulations 1998. All the rules and a holiday calculator.

Bank holidays 2027

England and Wales 8, Scotland 9, Northern Ireland 10. All dates and what they mean for shift workers.

Working time rules

48 hours a week on average, 11 hours between shifts, 5.6 weeks of holiday. The rules for shift workers and a holiday calculator.

Questions