The U.S. government is suing a Chick-fil-A franchise after it allegedly denied an employee’s request to take Saturday off for religious reasons.
The lawsuit alleges that franchisee Hatch Trick Inc violated federal law by refusing an employee’s request not to work Saturday for religious reasons.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said in a news release that the employee was a member of the United Church of God, which observes the Sabbath on this day.
This federal agency is a workplace watchdog established to combat workplace discrimination.
According to the EEOC, the employee asked not to be scheduled to work Saturday during the initial interview in August 2023.
The EOCC said Hatch Trick complied with the request over several months, eventually requiring her to work Saturdays in February 2024 despite the employee’s religious accommodation request.
The employee was responsible for managing delivery drivers at one of the Hatch Trick Chick-fil-A locations in Austin, Texas.
According to court documents filed by the EOCC, the woman was paid hourly and worked 45 to 50 hours a week, Monday through Friday, with some overtime on Sundays.
When she complained to management, Hutch-Trick allegedly told the employee that if she didn’t work on Saturday, it would be impossible for her to continue in her management role. Instead, they told her she would have to accept a position as a delivery driver, which would mean lower pay, benefits and reduced hours, the EEOC said.
She proposed arrangements that would have allowed her to keep her position, including having a driver serve in dispatch duties on her days off and work only after sunset on Saturdays, according to the EEOC complaint.
The regulator said the company fired the employee after he refused to accept a driver position.
“Religious discrimination in the workplace is unlawful and employers must provide reasonable accommodations for employees’ sincerely held beliefs,” said Norma Guzman, director of the EEOC’s San Antonio office.
The Sabbath is a holy day of rest in the Christian faith, observed by most Christians on Sunday. Chick-fil-A allows its employees to take Sunday off to observe the Sabbath, giving them time to “rest, enjoy time with family and loved ones, or worship if they choose,” according to the company’s website.
Chick-fil-A declined the BBC’s request for comment, but told ABC News affiliate KVUE in a statement: “It’s important to know that as a franchise, all employment decisions are solely the responsibility of each restaurant owner.”
The BBC has contacted Hatch Trick Inc for comment.
