Work, pay & shifts
Hours Worked on a 12-Hour Shift
Twelve-hour shifts — 7 to 7, day or night — are common in hospitals, manufacturing, emergency services, and security. The shift is 12 hours on the schedule, but the working time depends on the breaks taken off, and the weekly total depends on whether you work three or four of them. This guide gives the numbers for the usual combinations.
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The 7-to-7 shift
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM are both 12 hours from start to end; the night shift simply crosses midnight. On the two nights a year when clocks change for daylight saving time, the night shift lasts 11 or 13 hours of real time while the clock times still say 12.
Working time after common breaks
| Breaks subtracted | Working time | Decimal hours |
|---|---|---|
| None | 12 hours | 12 |
| 30 minutes | 11 hours 30 minutes | 11.5 |
| 30 + 15 minutes | 11 hours 15 minutes | 11.25 |
| 30 + 15 + 15 minutes | 11 hours | 11 |
| 30 + 30 minutes | 11 hours | 11 |
| 90 minutes in total | 10 hours 30 minutes | 10.5 |
Three or four shifts a week
| Shifts a week | Per shift | Hours a week |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 hours | 36 |
| 3 | 11.5 hours | 34.5 |
| 3 | 11 hours | 33 |
| 4 | 12 hours | 48 |
| 4 | 11.5 hours | 46 |
| 4 | 11 hours | 44 |
Over a two-week pay period
A common 12-hour rotation alternates three shifts one week with four the next. That is 7 shifts in a two-week period: 84 hours at 12 hours each, or 80.5 hours with a 30-minute break taken off each shift.
Handover time
Twelve-hour shifts often overlap for a handover, and arriving 15 minutes early for one turns 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM into 6:45 AM – 7:00 PM, or 12 hours 15 minutes. Whether that time is recorded and paid depends on the employer’s timekeeping, so check what your clock-in actually records.
12-Hour Shift Hours FAQ
- How many hours is a 12-hour shift with a 30-minute break?
- 11 hours 30 minutes, or 11.5 decimal hours.
- How many hours a week is three 12-hour shifts?
- 36 hours before breaks; 34.5 hours with a 30-minute break taken off each shift.
- Is 7 PM to 7 AM 12 hours?
- Yes, by the clock. On the nights clocks change for daylight saving time it is 11 or 13 hours of real time.
- How many 12-hour shifts make 80 hours?
- 80 ÷ 12 = 6⅔ shifts before breaks. At 11.5 working hours a shift, 7 shifts make 80.5 hours.
- What does a 3×12 schedule mean?
- Three 12-hour shifts a week: 36 hours on the schedule before any breaks are taken off.
Related guides
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