How many hours a week is the DuPont schedule?

It averages 42 hours per week across the 4-week cycle, but individual weeks vary — the heaviest week is 72 hours, balanced by the 7-day break.

Is the DuPont schedule good?

Workers either love it or leave it. The 7 consecutive days off every month is the big draw; the 72-hour week and day/night rotation are the cost.

What does D-N rotation mean on a DuPont calendar?

Crews alternate blocks of 12-hour day shifts (typically 6a–6p) and 12-hour night shifts (6p–6a) within the same 4-week cycle rather than staying fixed.

Shift patterns

DuPont Schedule

The DuPont schedule is a rotating 12-hour shift pattern that repeats every 4 weeks: 4 night shifts, 3 days off, 3 day shifts, 1 day off, 3 night shifts, 3 days off, 4 day shifts, then a full 7 consecutive days off. Four crews cover 24/7 operations, and everyone averages 42 hours per week — with one famous week-long break every cycle.

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### DuPont Schedule key facts The DuPont schedule is a 4-week, 12-hour rotating pattern: 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then 7 straight days off. Averages 42 hrs/week. - Cycle: 4 weeks, 4 crews - Average hours: 42 hrs/week (some weeks run 48+, offset by the 7-day break)

DuPont Schedule calendar

One crew's 4-week DuPont cycle (day = 12-hr day shift, night = 12-hr night shift)
	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Week 1	Night	Night	Night	Night	Off	Off	Off
Week 2	Day	Day	Day	Off	Night	Night	Night
Week 3	Off	Off	Off	Day	Day	Day	Day
Week 4	Off	Off	Off	Off	Off	Off	Off

At a glance

DuPont Schedule at a glance
Shift length	12 hours
Cycle	4 weeks, 4 crews
Average hours	42 hrs/week (some weeks run 48+, offset by the 7-day break)

Who uses the DuPont schedule?

Chemical plants, refineries, paper mills, and continuous manufacturing — the pattern was developed at DuPont in the 1950s and is still the default in much of the process industry.

Pros

A full 7-day break every 4 weeks without using PTO
Only works half the days of the year (~182)
Long stretches make night-shift sleep adjustment easier than daily rotation

Cons

One 72-hour work week per cycle is physically demanding
Rotating between days and nights is harder on sleep than fixed shifts
12-hour shifts leave little usable time on workdays

Frequently asked questions

How many hours a week is the DuPont schedule?: It averages 42 hours per week across the 4-week cycle, but individual weeks vary — the heaviest week is 72 hours, balanced by the 7-day break.
Is the DuPont schedule good?: Workers either love it or leave it. The 7 consecutive days off every month is the big draw; the 72-hour week and day/night rotation are the cost.
What does D-N rotation mean on a DuPont calendar?: Crews alternate blocks of 12-hour day shifts (typically 6a–6p) and 12-hour night shifts (6p–6a) within the same 4-week cycle rather than staying fixed.

Other shift patterns

Shift hours at major employers

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