US federal watchdog sues Chick-fil-A operator for religious discrimination
The U.S. government is suing a Chick-fil-A franchisee for allegedly denying an employee’s request to take Saturdays off work for religious reasons.
The lawsuit alleges that franchisee Hatch Trick Inc. violated federal law by denying an employee’s request to avoid work on Saturdays for religious reasons.
The employee was a member of the United Church of God, which observes the Sabbath that day, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) said in a press release.
The federal agency is a workplace watchdog established to combat discrimination in the workplace.
According to the EEOC, the employee requested not to be scheduled to work on Saturday during her first job interview in August 2023.
The EOCC alleges that Hatch Trick complied with this request for several months, eventually requiring the employee to work Saturdays in February 2024 despite requesting religious accommodations.
The employee was responsible for managing delivery drivers at one of Hatch Trick’s Chick-fil-A locations in Austin, Texas.
According to court documents filed by the EOCC, the woman is paid an hourly rate and works 45 to 50 hours a week Monday through Friday, with some additional hours on Sundays.
When he approached management, Hatch Trick allegedly told the employee that it was not possible for him to maintain his managerial role unless he worked on Saturdays. Instead, they told him he should accept the delivery driver position, which required lower pay, reduced benefits and hours, the EEOC said.
According to the EEOC complaint, he proposed a number of accommodations that would allow him to continue his role, including employing a driver on dispatch duty on his day off and allowing him to work only after sunset on Saturdays.
The watchdog said the company fired the employee who refused to accept the driver position.
“Religious discrimination in the workplace is unlawful, and employers must make reasonable accommodations for employees’ bona fide beliefs,” said Norma Guzman, Director of the EEOC San Antonio Field Office.
Sabbath is a day of holy rest in the Christian faith, which most Christians celebrate on Sunday. Chick-fil-A allows its employees to observe the Sabbath by closing on Sunday, giving them time to “rest, spend time with family and loved ones, or worship if they choose,” according to the company’s website.
Chick-fil-A declined a BBC request for comment, but said in a statement to ABC News affiliate KVUE: “As a franchise business, it is important to know that all employment decisions are the sole responsibility of each restaurant owner.”
The BBC contacted Hatch Trick Inc for comment. contacted.
