9/80 Compressed Work Schedule Calculator
How Does the 9/80 Compressed Work Schedule Work?
The 9/80 schedule is a compressed work arrangement that lets you work 80 hours across 9 working days in a two-week period, rather than the standard 10 days. The result: a three-day weekend every other week, without any reduction in your total annual hours.
The two-week cycle works like this. Week 1 (the long week): you work Monday through Thursday for 9 hours each day, and then work a full 8-hour Friday — a total of 44 hours. Week 2 (the short week): you work Monday through Thursday again for 9 hours each, and then Friday is completely off — a total of 36 hours. Over the two-week cycle, 44 + 36 = 80 hours across 9 days, averaging exactly 40 hours per week.
The 9/80 schedule is almost exclusively a daytime, office-style arrangement. It is not used in continuous-operation environments like manufacturing, healthcare, or emergency services — it suits knowledge workers, engineers, and professionals whose work can be done in a predictable Monday-to-Friday window. The longer individual days are compensated by the occasional long weekend.
The pattern is most popular in the United States, particularly in the engineering, aerospace, and defence sectors. Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, NASA's various contractors, and many government-adjacent technical organisations offer the 9/80 as a standard benefit. In the UK it is less widespread but found in some engineering consultancies, tech companies, and public sector technical roles.
For workers with families, the free Friday is particularly valuable — it can be used for school pickups, medical appointments, or household tasks that are impossible to schedule around a standard Monday-to-Friday 9-to-5. Over the course of a year, the 9/80 gives you 26 extra Fridays off compared to a standard schedule — the equivalent of more than five weeks of additional long weekends without using annual leave.
The main adjustment required on the 9/80 is the slightly longer working day — 9 hours rather than 8. For most office workers this is a minor change, but it is worth paying attention to commuting time, childcare arrangements, and personal energy levels on the longer days.
How to Use This Calculator
- Select the 9/80 Compressed card — it should already be highlighted on this page. The 9/80 is a single-team pattern so there is no team selector to choose.
- Enter your cycle start date — use the Monday of your Week 1 (the week that ends with a short Friday on the same day). If you are not sure which week is Week 1, check with your HR department or count back to the most recent free Friday and count back one week from there.
- Click "Show my 12-month calendar" — your full year will appear showing all working days, the alternating off Fridays, bank holidays, and your upcoming three-day weekends. Export to Google Calendar to get your schedule on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 9/80 work schedule?
The 9/80 schedule is a compressed work arrangement where you work 80 hours across 9 days over two weeks. Week 1 is 44 hours (Mon–Thu at 9 hours, Friday at 8 hours). Week 2 is 36 hours (Mon–Thu at 9 hours, Friday off). You average 40 hours per week but get a three-day weekend every other week.
How many hours a week is the 9/80 schedule?
The 9/80 schedule averages exactly 40 hours per week. The two-week cycle totals 80 working hours — identical to the standard 40 hours × 2 weeks. No hours are lost and no additional overtime is required. The only change is how those hours are distributed across the working days.
Which Friday is off on the 9/80 schedule?
Whether the first Friday or second Friday of any given two-week block is your day off depends on your cycle start date and your employer's implementation. Enter your details in the calculator above and the calendar will clearly mark all your off Fridays for the next 12 months.
What industries use the 9/80 compressed schedule?
The 9/80 schedule is most common in engineering, aerospace, defence contracting, technology, and some government departments — particularly in the United States. It is well-suited to office-based knowledge workers whose output is not tied to coverage hours. It is rarely used in shift-based environments like manufacturing, healthcare, or retail.
Is the 9/80 schedule the same as a 4-day work week?
No — they are different. A 4-day work week is a permanent 32-hour arrangement (4 × 8 hours) with a full reduction in weekly hours. The 9/80 maintains 40 hours per week; it only compresses the schedule so one Friday per fortnight is free. The 9/80 is not a reduction in work — it is a redistribution of the same total hours.
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