The Pitman 2-2-3 Schedule Explained: Hours, Overtime & Days Off

The Pitman 2-2-3 schedule (also called the “2-3-2” or “Panama” schedule) is one of the most common rotating shift patterns used in 24/7 operations — manufacturing plants, utilities, corrections facilities, EMS, and hospital support staff all run some version of it. It uses four crews and 12-hour shifts to keep the operation staffed around the clock while giving every worker a predictable, repeating rhythm of workdays and days off.

This guide breaks down exactly how the rotation works, what a full 14-day cycle looks like day by day, and — most importantly — how federal overtime law actually applies to it, since that part surprises a lot of workers.

How the Pitman rotation works

Each crew follows the same repeating pattern over a 14-day cycle:

2 days on, 2 days off
3 days on, 2 days off
2 days on, 3 days off

That's 7 working days and 7 days off every 14 days, with every shift running 12 hours. Two crews typically cover days while two cover nights, and the two crews on the same shift type are offset so one is working while the other is off — that's what keeps the facility staffed every single day of the year.

14-day breakdown (single crew example)

Here's what the cycle looks like for one crew, starting on a Monday. The pattern then repeats from Day 15 onward.

Day	Weekday	Status	Hours
1	Monday	On duty	12
2	Tuesday	On duty	12
3	Wednesday	Off	0
4	Thursday	Off	0
5	Friday	On duty	12
6	Saturday	On duty	12
7	Sunday	On duty	12
8	Monday	Off	0
9	Tuesday	Off	0
10	Wednesday	On duty	12
11	Thursday	On duty	12
12	Friday	Off	0
13	Saturday	Off	0
14	Sunday	Off	0

Total for the cycle: 7 shifts × 12 hours = 84 hours over 14 days, which averages to 42 hours per week. That average is the number most people quote — but it hides something important, covered next.

The overtime trap: averages don't matter, the workweek does

Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay of 1.5× their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a single, fixed 7-day workweek. Critically, an employer cannot average your hours across the full 14-day Pitman cycle to avoid paying overtime. Each 7-day workweek stands on its own.

Look at the same schedule split into two separate FLSA workweeks:

Workweek	Shifts worked	Total hours	Overtime hours
Week 1 (Days 1–7)	5	60	20 hrs @ 1.5×
Week 2 (Days 8–14)	2	24	0

So while the schedule “averages” 42 hours a week, in practice you work one heavy 60-hour week (with 20 hours of time-and-a-half) followed by one light 24-hour week. Over the full cycle, that overtime premium means Pitman crews are typically paid for more than a flat 84 hours at straight time — a detail that's easy to miss if you only look at the average.

Public safety exception: Police, fire, and some EMS employers may qualify for the FLSA “7(k) exemption,” which allows a longer 7–28 day work period with a different overtime threshold instead of the standard 40-hour/7-day rule. If you work in public safety, ask HR which method your department uses — it changes exactly when overtime kicks in.

Pitman 2-2-3: pros and cons

Pro: Every other weekend off in full, plus a mid-cycle 3-day break.
Pro: Only 7 workdays every 2 weeks — fewer commutes and clock-ins than a standard 5-day week.
Pro: The heavy week's overtime pay often makes total earnings higher than a flat 40-hour schedule for comparable base hours.
Con: 12-hour shifts are physically demanding, especially three in a row.
Con: The alternating short/long week can make budgeting and childcare planning harder.
Con: Rotating between day and night crews (where used) can disrupt sleep patterns.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Pitman 2-2-3 schedule legal?

Yes. There's no federal law that restricts how shifts are rotated, including 12-hour Pitman rotations. Employers do still have to follow standard federal and state wage-and-hour rules, including overtime pay for non-exempt employees.

How many hours does a Pitman schedule average per week?

A standard 2-2-3 Pitman crew works seven 12-hour shifts every 14 days, which averages out to 42 hours per week. But that average is split unevenly: one week is a 60-hour week and the next is a 24-hour week.

Do I get overtime every week on a Pitman schedule?

Only in your long week. Under the FLSA, overtime is calculated on a single, fixed 7-day workweek — not averaged across the 2-week cycle. So your 60-hour week typically includes 20 hours of overtime, while your 24-hour week has none.

What's the difference between Pitman and DuPont schedules?

Pitman uses a 2-week repeating cycle (2-2-3) with two alternating crews per shift and averages 42 hours a week. DuPont uses a longer 4-week cycle with four crews, mixes in a stretch of night shifts, and averages 42 hours a week as well, but with a different rhythm of days off, including one full week off every 4 weeks.

How many 3-day weekends does a Pitman schedule give you?

Every other weekend. In the standard rotation, workers get a 3-day break at one end of the 14-day cycle and a full 3-day stretch off mid-cycle as well, which is why Pitman schedules are popular in 24/7 operations like manufacturing, corrections, utilities, and EMS.