The 2-2-3 (Panama) Schedule: Rotation, Examples & Template

Q: How many hours is a 2-2-3 schedule per week?

It averages 42 hours : alternating 36-hour weeks (three shifts) and 48-hour weeks (four shifts) over the 14-day cadence.

The 2-2-3 schedule (also called the Panama schedule) covers 24/7 operations with four teams working 12-hour shifts in a repeating rhythm of 2 days on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off. Crews switch between day and night duty every other fortnight, average 42 hours a week — and get every other weekend off as a 3-day weekend.

Try the rotation

Pick a start date to map the rotation onto real weeks. Team A starts the cycle on day 1; the other teams are staggered so cover never drops.

Cycle start date

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Team A	Day	Day	Off	Off	Day	Day	Day	Off	Off	Day	Day	Off	Off	Off	Night	Night	Off	Off	Night	Night	Night	Off	Off	Night	Night	Off	Off	Off
Team B	Off	Off	Day	Day	Off	Off	Off	Night	Night	Off	Off	Night	Night	Night	Off	Off	Night	Night	Off	Off	Off	Day	Day	Off	Off	Day	Day	Day
Team C	Night	Night	Off	Off	Night	Night	Night	Off	Off	Night	Night	Off	Off	Off	Day	Day	Off	Off	Day	Day	Day	Off	Off	Day	Day	Off	Off	Off
Team D	Off	Off	Night	Night	Off	Off	Off	Day	Day	Off	Off	Day	Day	Day	Off	Off	Day	Day	Off	Off	Off	Night	Night	Off	Off	Night	Night	Night

Day = Day shiftNight = Night shiftOff = Day off

The math

Cycle length	28 days
Shift length	12 hours
Average hours per week	42 hours
Shifts per year (per person)	183
Days off per year	183
Teams needed for 24/7 cover	4

How the rotation works

The heart of the pattern is a 14-day cadence: 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off. Work it through a calendar and a quietly brilliant property appears — you are off every other Friday-Saturday-Sunday. That guaranteed long weekend, twice a month, is why teams that vote on their roster so often pick Panama.

Over the full 28-day cycle each crew works one fortnight on day shifts and the next on nights (a 'slow rotation'). Four crews run the cycle staggered, so one is always on days, one always on nights, and two are resting. No stretch ever exceeds three consecutive shifts — the shortest maximum run of any common 12-hour 24/7 pattern.

Who uses it

Police & emergency services — the 2-2-3 is one of the most common patrol rosters in the US
Hospitals & 24/7 care units — short runs limit fatigue where errors are costly
Manufacturing & logistics hubs — around-the-clock lines with four fixed crews
Call centres with 24/7 SLAs — predictable cover with regular full weekends off
Security & facilities teams — simple to administer and easy for staff to memorise

Pros & Cons

Pros

Every other weekend is a full 3-day weekend — rare among 24/7 patterns
Never more than 3 consecutive 12-hour shifts, the gentlest maximum run in its class
Only 14 work days per 28; half the year is off-duty
The fortnight rhythm is easy to memorise ("2-2-3")
Slow day/night rotation gives sleep schedules two weeks to settle

Cons

12-hour shifts are tiring in themselves, especially for physical work
The 2-on / 2-off chop means work days and rest days alternate quickly — some people never feel "in rhythm"
Night fortnights still carry the usual health and social costs of night work
Hours swing between 36 and 48 per week even though the average is 42
Four full crews are needed — small teams can't staff it

Variations & alternatives

Pitman schedule DuPont schedule 2-2-3-2-2-3 rotating shift 4 on 4 off Rotating shift schedules

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Frequently asked questions

Why is the 2-2-3 called the Panama schedule?

The name's origin is murky — the most repeated story links it to rosters used around the Panama Canal's continuous operations. It is also called the 'every other weekend off' schedule, which describes its best feature.

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

It averages 42 hours: alternating 36-hour weeks (three shifts) and 48-hour weeks (four shifts) over the 14-day cadence.

Do 2-2-3 crews work both days and nights?

In the classic Panama version, yes — crews swap between day and night duty every other fortnight (a slow rotation). Many sites run a fixed variant instead, where two crews always work days and two always work nights; that fixed version is usually called the Pitman schedule.

Is the 2-2-3 schedule good for sleep?

Among 12-hour 24/7 patterns it is one of the kinder ones: no more than three nights in a row, and the slow fortnightly rotation gives the body time to adjust. The quick on/off alternation suits some people and unsettles others.

How many people do you need to run a 2-2-3?

Four crews of equal size. With minimum staffing of, say, 5 people per shift, that means a roster of 20.