What is a 4 on 2 off schedule?
A 4 on 2 off schedule — often written 4/2 or 4-2 — means you work four days in a row, then have two days off. The cycle is six days long, so your days off move forward through the week.
With three teams offset by two days, two teams are working on any given day. That is why the 4/2 is popular with police patrol and plants that need extra people on every shift or overlapping coverage.
How the 4 on 2 off rotation works
The cycle: 4 days on, 2 days off — repeats every 6 days.
Team A works days 1–4, Team B days 3–6 and Team C days 5–8 (which is days 5, 6, 1 and 2 of the next cycle). Every day, two teams work and one is off.
With 8-hour shifts, that averages about 37 hours a week. Many agencies use 10-hour or 12-hour shifts on the same rhythm; change the shift length under "Shift times & options" in the calendar above.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | ||||
| B | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | ||||
| C | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
4 on 2 off hours and days off
| Shift length | 8 hours |
|---|---|
| Cycle length | 6 days |
| Teams for 24/7 coverage | 3 |
| Hours in a 7-day week | 32 to 40 (depends where the week falls in the cycle) |
| Average hours per week | 37.3 |
| Hours per year (scheduled) | about 1,945 |
| Shifts per year | about 243 |
| Days off per year | about 122 |
Overtime: federal law (FLSA) counts overtime by the workweek — hours over 40 in a fixed 7-day week.A 4 on 2 off schedule never goes over 40 hours in a week, so the schedule itself creates no federal overtime.
Who uses the 4 on 2 off schedule?
- Police and sheriff patrol (often 10-hour shifts)
- Manufacturing
- Corrections and security
Pros and cons
Pros
- Days off every six days
- Short cycle, easy to remember
- Two teams on every day for overlap
Cons
- Only two days off at a time
- Weekends off only now and then
- Needs three teams to cover two positions
Variations
4 on 4 off: Four 12-hour shifts, then four days off.
4/10: Four 10-hour days with the same three days off every week.
4 on 2 off compared with similar rotations
| Rotation | Cycle | Shift | Avg hours/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 On 2 Off Schedule | 6 days | 8 h | 37.3 |
| 4 On 4 Off Schedule | 8 days | 12 h | 42 |
| 4/10 Work Schedule | 7 days | 10 h | 40 |
| Pitman Schedule | 14 days | 12 h | 42 |
Frequently asked questions
What is a 4/2 schedule?
Work four days, then have two days off, repeating every six days. Also called 4 on 2 off or a 4-2 schedule.
How many hours is a 4 on 2 off schedule?
It depends on shift length: about 37 hours a week with 8-hour shifts, 47 with 10-hour shifts and 56 with 12-hour shifts.
How often do you get weekends off on a 4/2?
Your two days off move forward two days each cycle, so they land on a full Saturday and Sunday about once every six weeks.
ShiftRotations is an independent site. Rotations vary between employers and departments — always check your own schedule or contract.