A Chick-fil-A franchisee sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission allegedly denied a worker’s Sabbath request and fired her after she refused Saturday shifts at an Austin, Texas, restaurant.
The EEOC said Hatch Trick Inc. violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by failing to accommodate the worker’s religious observance unless it could show undue hardship.
The worker belonged to the United Church of God, which observes the Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.
The agency said the employee raised the request during her August 2023 job interview. Hatch Trick honoured it for several months before requiring Saturday work in February 2024, according to the lawsuit.
The EEOC said the worker proposed alternatives, including having another employee provide Saturday coverage. The franchisee, instead, offered her a lower-paid delivery driver position with fewer hours and fewer benefits, according to the agency’s allegations.
Read: Lollipop People Body Cameras Issued As Abuse Rises
The agency said Hatch Trick fired the worker after she rejected the role change. The EEOC filed the lawsuit after an unsuccessful effort to resolve the matter through administrative conciliation.
Chick-fil-A told KVUE that franchise owners handle their own employment decisions. The company’s restaurants are widely known for closing on Sundays.
