Pitman Schedule: How the 2-3-2 Shift Pattern Works

The Pitman schedule is a 24/7 shift pattern where four teams work 12-hour shifts on a 14-day cycle: 2 days on, 3 off, 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off. Each employee works 7 shifts every two weeks, an average of 42 hours a week, and teams usually stay on fixed day or night shifts. It is common in police departments and other public safety agencies. This guide covers the calendar, how it relates to the 2-2-3 (Panama) schedule, and the overtime rules, including the FLSA 7(k) exemption for police and fire.

How the Pitman schedule works

Pitman schedule (2-3-2 schedule): a four-team, 12-hour shift pattern that repeats every 14 days. Each team works 7 shifts and has 7 days off per cycle, in blocks of 2 on, 3 off, 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off.

Two teams cover the day shift (for example 6 AM to 6 PM) and two cover nights. Partner teams on the same shift work opposite days, so exactly one day team and one night team are on duty every day.

The 14-day cycle for one team

Total: 84 hours per 14 days. If the week starts on day 1, week one has 4 shifts (48 hours) and week two has 3 shifts (36 hours).

Pitman vs 2-2-3 (Panama): the same sequence

Written out day by day, the Pitman sequence (WWOOOWWOOWWWOO) is the 2-2-3 sequence (WWOOWWWOOWWOOO) started at a different point in the cycle. Both have four teams, 12-hour shifts, 7 shifts per 14 days and a longest break of 3 days. The practical differences are in naming and practice:

• Pitman is the usual name in law enforcement; 2-2-3 or Panama is more common in manufacturing, health care and logistics.
• Pitman teams usually stay on fixed day or night shifts. Panama is often used for the version where teams rotate between days and nights.
• Where the cycle starts on the calendar changes which weekends are off and how hours fall into each workweek, which affects overtime (see below).

See our 2-2-3 work schedule guide for a four-team calendar and the rotating version.

How many people the Pitman schedule needs

Four per 24/7 post: 8,760 hours of annual coverage ÷ about 2,190 scheduled hours per person (42 × 52) = 4. A patrol beat that needs two officers on at all times needs eight.

That count has no room for vacation, sick leave, training days, court time or vacancies. Agencies that staff at exactly four per post end up filling every absence with overtime. Base your relief factor on last year's actual leave and training hours.

Where it is used and why

• Police patrol and sheriff's departments
• Corrections and 911 dispatch
• Private security and campus safety
• Hospitals, plants and warehouses that prefer fixed day and night teams

Supervisors like it because teams stay together and the calendar is predictable. Staff like the every-other-weekend three-day break. Fixed night teams are the main complaint: someone has to work nights permanently, which is why some agencies bid shifts by seniority or rotate teams every few months.

Pros and cons of the Pitman schedule

NIOSH research ties long shifts and night work to disrupted sleep and more fatigue-related errors (NIOSH Science Blog, Shift Work and Sleep). For armed or driving roles, cap voluntary overtime on top of 12-hour shifts and set a minimum rest period between shifts.

Overtime rules for Pitman schedules

Private employers and non-public-safety staff

The FLSA standard is overtime after 40 hours in a fixed workweek (DOL Fact Sheet #23), with no averaging across weeks (29 CFR 778.104). A Pitman team whose workweek starts on day 1 of the cycle works 48 then 36 hours: 8 overtime hours every two weeks.

California requires daily overtime after 8 hours and double time after 12 (California Labor Commissioner overtime FAQ), so each 12-hour shift includes 4 overtime hours unless an alternative workweek schedule is adopted under California Labor Code §511. Alaska and Nevada also have daily overtime rules; check state law before modeling cost.

Police and fire: the Section 7(k) exemption

Public agencies can pay law enforcement and fire protection employees under FLSA Section 7(k), which replaces the 40-hour week with a work period of 7 to 28 days and a higher threshold (29 CFR 553.230):

With a 14-day or 28-day 7(k) work period, a Pitman schedule on its own stays under the law enforcement threshold, so scheduled hours create no FLSA overtime. Any extra time worked (late calls, court, training) counts toward the threshold. Collective bargaining agreements often pay overtime earlier than the FLSA requires, and those contract terms still apply. The 7(k) exemption is only for public agencies; a private security firm on a Pitman schedule pays overtime on the standard 40-hour rule.

What HR should set up

1. 1Confirm whether 7(k) applies and document the work period in writing before the schedule starts.
2. 2Fix the workweek or work period start date and model overtime for each team.
3. 3Set headcount per post above four, using real leave, training and court-time data.
4. 4Agree swap, call-back and minimum-rest rules with the union or employee group.
5. 5Decide how night teams are chosen: seniority bid, rotation every few months, or volunteers.
6. 6Set PTO and holiday pay in hours so a day off equals a 12-hour shift.
7. 7Load the pattern into your scheduling software and post the calendar at least two cycles ahead.

Frequently asked questions about the Pitman schedule