What is a 2-2-3 schedule?
A 2-2-3 schedule is a 12-hour shift rotation where you work 2 days, take 2 off, work 3, take 2 off, work 2, then take 3 off. Over two weeks you work 7 shifts and get 7 days off, including every other weekend as a three-day weekend.
The "Panama" version of the 2-2-3 also rotates teams between day and night shifts: two weeks of days, then two weeks of nights. Four teams keep the operation covered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
How the 2-2-3 rotation works
The cycle: 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off on days, then the same on nights — 28 days.
Teams run the same pattern offset by one week, so on any day exactly one team is on days and one is on nights. In this calculator the Panama version is a 28-day cycle: 14 days on day shifts, then 14 on night shifts.
Because 7 twelve-hour shifts fall in every 14 days, the average week is 42 hours. With the most common workweek setup, weeks alternate between 36 and 48 hours, so federal law means 8 hours of overtime every other week. If the employer's workweek starts on a different day, a single week can reach 60 hours (5 shifts) and the next only 24.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | ||||||||||||||
| B | N | N | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | N | N | N | N | N | ||||||||||||||
| C | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | ||||||||||||||
| D | D | D | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | D | D | D | D | D |
2-2-3 hours and days off
| Shift length | 12 hours |
|---|---|
| Cycle length | 28 days |
| Teams for 24/7 coverage | 4 |
| Hours in a 7-day week | 24 to 60 (depends where the week falls in the cycle) |
| Average hours per week | 42 |
| Hours per year (scheduled) | about 2,190 |
| Shifts per year | about 183 |
| Days off per year | about 183 |
Overtime: federal law (FLSA) counts overtime by the workweek — hours over 40 in a fixed 7-day week.On a 2-2-3 schedule a single week can reach 60 hours even though the average is 42, so expect overtime in the heavier weeks. How much depends on which day your employer's workweek starts — the shift pay calculator shows the range. Some states, such as California and Alaska, also pay daily overtime after 8 hours.
Who uses the 2-2-3 schedule?
- Manufacturing and process plants
- Police and sheriff departments
- Hospitals, 911 dispatch and security
- Data centers and utilities
Pros and cons
Pros
- Every other weekend is a three-day weekend
- Never more than 3 shifts in a row
- Half the days of the year off
- Predictable two-week rhythm
Cons
- 12-hour shifts are tiring
- Switching between days and nights (Panama) disrupts sleep
- Pay swings between 36- and 48-hour weeks
- Childcare can be hard with alternating days
Variations
Pitman: The same 2-2-3 rhythm with fixed teams: some teams always work days and others always work nights.
2-3-2 or 3-2-2: The same rotation described from a different starting day.
DuPont: Another 12-hour, four-team rotation with a full week off every 28 days.
2-2-3 compared with similar rotations
| Rotation | Cycle | Shift | Avg hours/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-2-3 Schedule (Panama) | 28 days | 12 h | 42 |
| Pitman Schedule | 14 days | 12 h | 42 |
| DuPont Schedule | 28 days | 12 h | 42 |
| 4 On 4 Off Schedule | 8 days | 12 h | 42 |
Frequently asked questions
What is a 2-2-3 schedule?
A 12-hour shift rotation: work 2, off 2, work 3, off 2, work 2, off 3. It repeats every 14 days, with 7 shifts and 7 days off.
What is a 223 schedule?
A "223 schedule" is another way of writing the 2-2-3 schedule: 12-hour shifts worked as 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, then 2 on, 2 off, 3 off over two weeks.
Is the 2-2-3 the same as the Panama schedule?
Mostly yes. "Panama" usually means the 2-2-3 rhythm with teams rotating between day and night shifts every two weeks.
How many hours is a 2-2-3 schedule?
84 hours every two weeks — 36 one week and 48 the next — for an average of 42 hours a week.
What is the difference between 2-2-3 and Pitman?
Both use the same 2-2-3 rhythm. On Pitman, teams stay on days or on nights; on the Panama 2-2-3, teams swap between days and nights.
How many people do you need for a 2-2-3 schedule?
Four teams cover 24/7 with 12-hour shifts: one team on days and one on nights each day, while two are off.
ShiftRotations is an independent site. Rotations vary between employers and departments — always check your own schedule or contract.