A Texas Chick-fil-A franchisee sued for alleged holiday discrimination

A Texas Chick-fil-A the franchise operator is facing a federal lawsuit over allegations it refused to consider an employee’s religious beliefs before ultimately firing him.

According to a complaint filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and obtained by FOX Business, Hatch Trick, Inc. — which operates several Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Austin area — alleged that it discriminated against employee Laurel Torode, whose faith prohibiting him from working on Saturdays.

Torode, a member of the United Church of God, said in an interview that he observes the Sabbath from sundown Friday to Saturday.

the EEOC said company at first fulfilled his request while working as a manager and supervising delivery drivers at one Austin-area location.

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The arrangement allegedly changed several months later.

« At the beginning of February 2024, the defendant told Torode that in the future he would be required to work on Saturdays, including the period when he would observe the Sabbath, » according to the complaint.

According to the lawsuit, Torode sought accommodations and met with company officials to discuss options that would allow him to maintain his executive duties while continuing his rest day.

Instead, the company told him he would have to accept a lower-level delivery driver job with reduced pay, fewer hours and fewer benefits if he wanted to avoid Saturday shifts.

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When Torode refused the assignment, Hatch Trick terminated his employment, according to the EEOC.

The EEOC alleges that the company violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires employers to give reasonable consideration to employees’ religious beliefs unless doing so would cause an undue hardship.

« The obligation under federal law to provide reasonable accommodations for religion reflects our society’s recognition of the importance of faith employees’ everyday life life and continued respect for those who observe religious practices as an expression of that faith,” EEOC Dallas Regional Attorney Ronald L. Phillips said in a statement.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Austin after the EEOC said it failed to resolve the dispute.

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The case has attracted attention because Chick-fil-A is famously closed on Sundays. According to the company, founder S. Truett Cathy instituted the policy in 1946 so employees could « rest, enjoy time with their families and loved ones, or worship when they choose. »

Chick-fil-A declined to comment on the lawsuit, but told FOX Business that « as a franchise, all employment decisions are the sole responsibility of each individual restaurant owner. »

FOX Business could not immediately reach Hatch Trick Inc. and the EEOC for comment.