DUPONT ROTATION GUIDE
Understand the DuPont shift schedule
The DuPont schedule uses a repeating 28-day rotation to provide around-the-clock coverage. Its mix of day shifts, night shifts and days off can be difficult to follow without a complete calendar.
Build my schedule freeDuPont cycle at a glance
Start with day one as a confirmed first workday. Each row shows the work or off status in the repeating pattern used by the calendar below. The table shows the rotation, not a promise of an assigned shift time.
| Cycle day | Status |
|---|---|
| 1 | Work |
| 2 | Work |
| 3 | Work |
| 4 | Work |
| 5 | Off |
| 6 | Off |
| 7 | Off |
| 8 | Work |
| 9 | Work |
| 10 | Work |
| 11 | Off |
| 12 | Work |
| 13 | Work |
| 14 | Work |
| 15 | Off |
| 16 | Off |
| 17 | Off |
| 18 | Work |
| 19 | Work |
| 20 | Work |
| 21 | Work |
| 22 | Off |
| 23 | Off |
| 24 | Off |
| 25 | Off |
| 26 | Off |
| 27 | Off |
| 28 | Off |
After the last row, return to day one and repeat. Compare the order with your employer’s actual roster before using it to plan time away; a different crew or an employer-specific change can shift the dates.
Worked example: two cycles
This is an example, not your assigned schedule. If the first workday is 2026-01-01, the first cycle runs from 2026-01-01 through 2026-01-28. Its days off are 2026-01-05, 2026-01-06, 2026-01-07, 2026-01-11, 2026-01-15, 2026-01-16, 2026-01-17, 2026-01-22, 2026-01-23, 2026-01-24, 2026-01-25, 2026-01-26, 2026-01-27, 2026-01-28.
The second cycle runs from 2026-01-29 through 2026-02-25. Its days off are 2026-02-02, 2026-02-03, 2026-02-04, 2026-02-08, 2026-02-12, 2026-02-13, 2026-02-14, 2026-02-19, 2026-02-20, 2026-02-21, 2026-02-22, 2026-02-23, 2026-02-24, 2026-02-25. The same sequence then continues; enter your own confirmed start date in the calendar to see your dates.
The sequence has 14 workdays in 28 days. That averages 3.5 days worked per week and about 182.6 per average calendar year. A particular year’s total depends on its length and where the cycle starts; holidays, leave and overtime are not included.
BUILD IT HERE
Your DuPont 28-day calendar
Set your first workday and a confirmed payday. Your full year updates instantly.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
How the DuPont schedule works
A common DuPont rotation is four night shifts, three days off, three day shifts, one day off, three night shifts, three days off, four day shifts and seven days off. Workplaces may start crews at different points in that cycle.
Most versions use 12-hour shifts. The long break is attractive, but the rotation also includes demanding blocks and quick changes between day and night work.
How many hours are in a DuPont rotation?
The standard pattern contains 14 twelve-hour shifts in 28 days, or 168 scheduled hours. That averages 42 hours per week before overtime rules, paid leave or employer-specific adjustments are applied.
- Seven consecutive days off during each full cycle
- Day and night shifts within the same rotation
- A repeating four-week calendar
- Different crew start points for continuous coverage
How to choose your start date
Find a confirmed first workday for your crew at the beginning of the employer’s complete DuPont cycle. A workday in the middle of a block is not necessarily day one. Ask for the rotation order as well as the date: employers can offset or modify the sequence.
Enter the first workday in the embedded calendar, then compare the work and off dates with your official roster across more than one block. Pay particular attention to the long break: if its dates differ, check the starting point and sequence before relying on future dates.
The embedded calendar uses one label for all workdays. It does not assign the changing day and night shifts shown in a typical DuPont roster, so confirm those transitions and actual shift times with your employer. The full tool on the homepage includes shift-time countdowns and additional planning controls.
Planning work and paydays
Different crews may begin at different points in the cycle even when they share the same rotation. An example for one crew cannot identify another crew’s workdays without its own confirmed anchor. Overtime, leave, and changes on the official roster can also alter individual days.
Payday markers are separate from the work rotation. Enter a known payday and pay frequency if you want to see both on the calendar; changing those values will not move the work and off pattern. Check the pay schedule with your employer if a holiday affects a deposit.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
What is a DuPont shift schedule?
It is a 28-day rotating schedule commonly built around 12-hour day and night shifts, with a seven-day break during each full cycle.
How many days do you work in 28 days?
A standard DuPont pattern has 14 workdays in each 28-day rotation.
Does every DuPont schedule use the same order?
No. Employers may reverse, offset or modify the pattern, so anchor your calendar to a confirmed first workday and verify crew changes.