How the DuPont schedule works
The cycle is 28 days long and runs without a break through weekends and holidays:
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | night | night | night | night | off | off | off |
| 2 | day | day | day | off | night | night | night |
| 3 | off | off | off | day | day | day | day |
| 4 | off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
Four teams (A, B, C, D) are offset by one week each, so every day one team works the day shift and one the night shift. With 12-hour shifts that averages 42 hours per week. The price of the long break is week 2: day shifts switching straight to nights with only one day off in between.
DuPont schedule 2027 by the numbers
Example for an operation where team A starts its four nights on Monday, January 4, 2027:
| Team | Shifts in 2027 | of which nights | Hours | Free weekends | New Year's Day | Memorial Day | July 4 | Labor Day | Thanksgiving | Christmas Eve | Christmas Day | New Year's Eve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 182 | 91 | 2,184 | 26 | off | day | night | off | day | day | day | off |
| B | 183 | 91 | 2,196 | 26 | day | night | off | off | off | night | night | day |
| C | 183 | 92 | 2,196 | 26 | night | off | off | day | night | off | off | night |
| D | 182 | 91 | 2,184 | 26 | off | off | day | night | off | off | off | off |
A free weekend here means Saturday and Sunday with no shift and no night shift from Friday into Saturday – on DuPont that is two weekends out of every four. If your cycle starts on a different day, the table shifts – the easiest fix is to set up your own calendar.
Set up your own DuPont calendar
- Open the DuPont calendar and choose Use this pattern.
- Pick your team and the date of your next first night shift.
- You get the whole year on one printable letter or A4 page. Save it and add it to your phone – the shifts then show up in Google, Apple or Outlook Calendar.
With All teams – who is on duty you see in one calendar which team works each day – handy for supervisors and the control room.
Making the most of the 7-day break
The week off is the main reason crews vote for DuPont. Adding just three or four vacation days next to it gives you 10 to 11 days away – see holiday planning in shift work. How DuPont compares with the Pitman schedule, 2-2-2 or 4-on-4-off is in shift patterns compared, and the nights in detail in night shifts per year.
FAQ
What is the DuPont schedule?
A 12-hour rotation for four teams over 28 days: 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days and then 7 days off.
How many hours a year is the DuPont schedule?
In 2027, 182 or 183 shifts, i.e. 2,184 to 2,196 hours before vacation – an average of 42 hours per week.
Can I put my DuPont schedule on my phone?
Yes. Save the calendar on MyTurnus and add it with the Add to phone button. Shifts appear in Google, Apple or Outlook Calendar and update themselves.