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2-2-3 schedule: how the rotation works, with a calendar

A 2-2-3 schedule is a 12-hour rotation where each crew works 2 days, gets 2 off, works 3, and then does the reverse, repeating every 14 days. Four crews cover 24/7, and each works 7 of every 14 days: 42 hours a week on average, never more than 3 days in a row.

Shift length
12 hours
Cycle
28 days
Average week
42 hours
Longest stretch
3 on / 3 off

Build your rotation

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The calendar only shows which crew works when. Describe your crews, roles, time-off and rules in plain English, and Smeno drafts a full schedule from this starting point, free. Check the draft before you share it.

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How the 2-2-3 rotation works

Over 14 days, one crew works 2 shifts, has 2 days off, works 3, has 2 off, works 2 and has 3 off. That's 7 shifts of 12 hours, or 84 hours per two weeks.

Crews work in pairs. When crew A is off, its partner crew B is on, so the pair covers every day of a shift between them. A second pair does the same on the other shift, so every day has one crew on days, one on nights and two off.

In the calendar above, each crew runs the 14-day rhythm on day shifts, then the same rhythm on night shifts, so the full cycle is 28 days.

  • Week 1: work Mon–Tue, off Wed–Thu, work Fri–Sun
  • Week 2: off Mon–Tue, work Wed–Thu, off Fri–Sun
  • Weeks 3–4: the same two weeks on night shifts

Hours and pay on a 2-2-3

If the cycle starts on a Monday, calendar weeks alternate between 3 shifts (36 hours) and 4 shifts (48 hours). Under the federal 40-hour overtime rule, that's 8 overtime hours every other week.

Over a year, a crew works about 182 or 183 shifts, or 2,190 hours. If the payroll week starts on a different day than the cycle, some weeks can reach 60 hours and others drop to 24, so compare the two before you pick a start date.

How often crews switch between days and nights

Sources agree on the 2-2-3 rhythm but not on how often crews flip between days and nights. Sling describes two weeks on days, then two on nights. Time Doctor describes 28 days on one shift before switching, a 56-day cycle. Wikipedia notes that some sites rotate every six months.

Some teams don't rotate at all: two crews stay on days and two on nights. That fixed version is usually called the Pitman schedule.

2-2-3, Panama, Pitman, 2-3-2: same rhythm, different labels

The 14-day sequence 2-2-3-2-2-3 shows up under several names. Panama is common in manufacturing, Pitman in policing. Some writers call it 2-3-2 after the stretches of work, and 3-2-2-3 is the same sequence read from a different starting day. Time Doctor treats Panama as a separate schedule, while Zelos treats Panama and Pitman as the same rotation.

In family law, "2-2-3" also names a 50/50 custody schedule where a child alternates between parents in the same rhythm; this page is about the work schedule.

Pros and cons

  • Never more than 3 shifts in a row.
  • Every other weekend is a 3-day weekend, Friday to Sunday, when the cycle starts on a Monday.
  • Only 7 shifts every 14 days, so about half the days of the year are off.
  • In the rotating version, everyone shares night work equally.
  • The longest break is 3 days; there's no full week off as on DuPont.
  • 12-hour shifts: NIOSH links them to lower alertness and less sleep.
  • The 48-hour weeks create overtime for non-exempt staff under the 40-hour rule.
  • Switching from days to nights every two weeks gives the body clock little time to adjust.

Who it works for

  • Hospitals, urgent care and emergency rooms
  • Manufacturing plants that run 24/7
  • Police, fire and emergency services
  • Utilities and energy
  • Call centers with overnight coverage

FAQ

What is a 2-2-3 schedule?

A 12-hour shift rotation in which a crew works 2 days, has 2 off, works 3, has 2 off, works 2 and has 3 off, repeating every 14 days. Four crews working this pattern keep a site staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

How many hours a week is a 2-2-3 schedule?

42 hours on average. Calendar weeks usually alternate between 36 and 48 hours, depending on which weekday the cycle starts.

How many days a year do you work on a 2-2-3?

About 182 or 183 twelve-hour shifts, which is 2,190 hours a year.

Is the 2-2-3 the same as the Panama or Pitman schedule?

Usually yes, with the same 14-day rhythm. The names vary by industry, and sources disagree on details such as how often crews switch between days and nights. Compare the actual sequence of days on and off, not the name.

How many employees do you need for a 2-2-3 schedule?

Four crews. Multiply four by the number of people you need on each shift. For example, 3 people per shift means 12 people, plus cover for vacations and sick days.

Do you get every other weekend off on a 2-2-3?

If the cycle starts on a Monday, yes: every second weekend is Friday through Sunday off. If it starts on a Wednesday, Friday or Sunday, no weekend is fully off.

Related rotations

Sources