4-On 4-Off Schedule 2026: Calendar & Pay Calculator

What is the 4-on 4-off schedule?

The simplest rotation there is: work four 12-hour shifts in a row, then take four days off, forever. One 8-day cycle replaces the 7-day week, which is why the pattern feels different from Monday-to-Friday life — your "weekend" is a four-day block that lands on different weekdays each cycle.

Unlike the DuPont rotation, many 4-on 4-off operations run permanent crews: one team always works days, another always nights. If you value never flipping your sleep schedule, that is a major selling point — and if your facility pays a night differential, permanent nights make it a permanent raise.

Who works 4-on 4-off?

Process operators and continuous manufacturing lines, corrections officers, EMS and ambulance crews, oil and gas sites, security teams, water treatment plants, and hospital support departments that need around-the-clock coverage without rotating everyone through nights.

Example 4-on 4-off stretch

Three cycles starting on a shift block (Sunday, September 6, 2026 in this example):

D = day shift · O = off. Set your own block start in the calendar above.

Pros and cons of 4-on 4-off

• Pro: four-day breaks every eight days — enough for real recovery or short trips.
• Pro: permanent day/night crews mean no circadian whiplash.
• Pro: only one rule to remember: blocks of four.
• Con: breaks drift across the week, so weekend-aligned plans need checking.
• Con: four 12s in a row is physically demanding — the last shift of a block hits differently.
• Con: the 8-day cycle confuses childcare and billing cycles built around 7-day weeks.

4-on 4-off pay calculator

Weeks alternate between 34.5 and 46 paid hours, so federal overtime shows up in every four-shift week (about 6 hours at 1.5×). California daily-OT states instead put 3.5 overtime hours inside every single 12-hour shift. Permanent nights? Add your differential below and watch the year figure move.

4-on 4-off FAQ

What is a 4-on 4-off schedule?

An 8-day repeating cycle of four 12-hour shifts followed by four days off. Crews usually run permanent days or permanent nights, so you always work the same shift type. It averages 3.5 shifts (42 hours) per week.

How many hours a week is 4-on 4-off?

Because the 8-day cycle straddles calendar weeks, any given week contains either three or four shifts — 34.5 or 46 paid hours after a 30-minute unpaid break. The four-shift weeks cross the federal 40-hour overtime threshold by about 6 hours.

Do 4-on 4-off weekends ever line up?

Only sometimes. An 8-day cycle drifts through the 7-day week, so your four-day breaks land on different weekdays each cycle. When a break overlaps a weekend it feels great; when it lands midweek, plans need creativity.

Is 4-on 4-off better than Pitman (2-2-3)?

They average the same hours. 4-on 4-off gives longer, less frequent breaks (4 days every 8) and a fixed shift type; Pitman gives a 3-day weekend every other week and a 14-day rhythm. Which is better depends on whether you value long blocks or predictable weekends.

Do I get overtime on 4-on 4-off?

Federal FLSA: yes, in every four-shift week (46 paid hours vs the 40-hour threshold). California daily-OT states: yes, on every 12-hour shift, because daily overtime starts after 8 hours regardless of the week.

How do I start the calendar?

Enter the first day of your current four-shift block. The calendar, .ics download and print view all key off that single date, saved privately in your browser.