What is a 4/10 schedule?
A 4/10 schedule ("four tens") means working four 10-hour days a week and taking three days off. You still work 40 hours, so it is a compressed workweek rather than a rotation.
Most 4/10 schedules run Monday to Thursday or Tuesday to Friday. To cover all seven days, employers often use two crews — for example one Monday to Thursday and one Thursday to Sunday, overlapping on Thursday.
How the 4/10 rotation works
The cycle: 4 days on (10 hours), 3 days off — every week.
Each workday is 10 paid hours (for example 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM with a 30-minute unpaid lunch). Four of them make 40 hours, so under federal law there is no overtime unless you work more than 40 hours in the week.
In California, daily overtime normally starts after 8 hours, so a 4/10 needs a formal "alternative workweek schedule" adopted by an employee vote to avoid paying overtime for hours 9 and 10.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | D | D | D | D | |||
| B | D | D | D | D |
4/10 hours and days off
| Shift length | 10 hours |
|---|---|
| Cycle length | 7 days |
| Teams shown | 2 |
| Hours in a 7-day week | 40 (depends where the week falls in the cycle) |
| Average hours per week | 40 |
| Hours per year (scheduled) | about 2,086 |
| Shifts per year | about 209 |
| Days off per year | about 156 |
Overtime: federal law (FLSA) counts overtime by the workweek — hours over 40 in a fixed 7-day week.A 4/10 schedule never goes over 40 hours in a week, so the schedule itself creates no federal overtime. Some states, such as California and Alaska, also pay daily overtime after 8 hours.
Who uses the 4/10 schedule?
- Government offices and public works
- Police and dispatch
- Construction and manufacturing
- Hospitals and clinics
Pros and cons
Pros
- Three-day weekend every week
- 20% fewer commutes
- Same 40 hours and pay
Cons
- Long workdays
- Childcare can be harder on 10-hour days
- California and some contracts need special rules
Variations
4 on 2 off: A rotating six-day cycle.
9/80: Nine-hour days with every other Friday off (80 hours in two weeks).
4/10 compared with similar rotations
| Rotation | Cycle | Shift | Avg hours/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/10 Work Schedule | 7 days | 10 h | 40 |
| 4 On 2 Off Schedule | 6 days | 8 h | 37.3 |
| 4 On 4 Off Schedule | 8 days | 12 h | 42 |
| Pitman Schedule | 14 days | 12 h | 42 |
Frequently asked questions
What is a 4/10 schedule?
Four 10-hour workdays and three days off each week, for 40 hours.
Do you get overtime on a 4/10?
Not under federal law if you work 40 hours or less in the week. In California, a 4/10 requires an approved alternative workweek schedule, otherwise hours over 8 in a day are overtime.
Is a 4/10 better than a 5/8?
Many people prefer the three-day weekend and fewer commutes; others find 10-hour days too long. Productivity and preference vary by job.
ShiftRotations is an independent site. Rotations vary between employers and departments — always check your own schedule or contract.