Quick answer: the Panama schedule is the 2-2-3 pattern (work 2, off 2, work 3, off 2, work 2, off 3) for 4 crews on 12-hour shifts, with crews swapping between days and nights every 28 days here, a 56-day full cycle.
Find my crew: not sure which crew you are? Enter a few dates you worked or had off and the calendar lines itself up with your rotation. Download your shifts with their real start and end times to your phone calendar, show federal holidays, or check any date to see who is on.
The Panama pattern, day by day
One crew, one full 56-day cycle:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | Day | Off | Off | Day | Day | Day | Off | Off | Day | Day | Off | Off | Off | Day | Day | Off | Off | Day | Day | Day | Off | Off | Day | Day | Off | Off | Off | Night | Night | Off | Off | Night | Night | Night | Off | Off | Night | Night | Off | Off | Off | Night | Night | Off | Off | Night | Night | Night | Off | Off | Night | Night | Off | Off | Off |
Panama hours by workweek
42 hours a week on average; single weeks from 24 to 60. Overtime over 40: 4 to 10 hours a week on average, set by the cycle day the workweek begins.
| Workweek begins on | Hours in each week of the 56-day repeat | Average overtime per week |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 60, 24, 60, 24, 60, 24, 60, 24 | 10 |
| Day 2 | 48, 36, 48, 36, 48, 36, 48, 36 | 4 |
| Day 3 | 36, 48, 36, 48, 36, 48, 36, 48 | 4 |
Panama or Pitman?
Sources use the names loosely. The working days are identical; what differs is how often crews change between day and night shifts. Every 2 weeks is usually called Pitman, a longer block such as 4 weeks is often called Panama, and some sites never swap. The calendar above offers all three, so match it to your site rather than the name.
Shorter day/night blocks? See the 2-2-3 schedule. Heavier but with a week off each month? The DuPont schedule.
Formula and examples checked . Found a problem? Tell us.
Questions
Why is it called the Panama schedule?
It is commonly said to come from the Panama Canal, which runs around the clock. The pattern is the same 2-2-3 used in many plants.
How many hours a week is the Panama schedule?
42 on average (7 twelve-hour shifts every 2 weeks), alternating heavier and lighter weeks.