Chick-fil-A Franchise Hit with Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

A Texas Chick-fil-A franchise operator is facing a federal lawsuit after allegedly firing a Christian manager who refused to work Saturdays because of her religious beliefs — a case critics say exposes a stunning double standard about faith in the workplace.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued Hatch Trick, a Chick-fil-A franchise group operating in the Austin area, accusing the company of religious discrimination after employee Laurel Torode says she was pushed out for observing her Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.

The controversy is especially explosive because Chick-fil-A has built its entire brand around Christian values and famously closes every Sunday so employees can rest, spend time with family, or worship.

Now, the company’s faith-friendly image is under intense scrutiny.

According to the lawsuit, Torode — a member of the United Church of God — made her religious restrictions crystal clear during her August 2023 interview. She allegedly informed restaurant directors Faye Campbell and Jeremy Jenkins that her faith prohibited her from working during her Sabbath hours.

At first, the arrangement reportedly wasn’t a problem.

But months later, management allegedly reversed course and demanded she begin working Saturdays anyway.

When Torode objected, the franchise allegedly offered her what the EEOC describes as a major downgrade: a delivery driver position with lower pay, fewer hours, and reduced benefits.

After she refused the demotion, the company allegedly fired her.

The federal lawsuit claims Hatch Trick owner Jeff Glover also rejected multiple alternative scheduling proposals that could have allowed Torode to remain in management while still honoring her religious beliefs.

The case is quickly attracting national attention because Chick-fil-A itself has long marketed its Christian identity as part of its corporate DNA.

Founder S. Truett Cathy famously implemented the chain’s Sunday-closing policy back in 1946 after becoming burned out working nonstop seven-day weeks in the restaurant industry. Since then, Chick-fil-A has repeatedly emphasized that its mission is “to glorify God” — even as the company sacrifices billions in potential revenue by staying closed on Sundays.

That’s why many observers are calling the lawsuit deeply ironic.

“This is exactly the kind of religious accommodation Chick-fil-A built its reputation defending,” one legal analyst noted after details of the case surfaced.

The lawsuit could also become a major test of a powerful 2023 Supreme Court ruling that strengthened religious protections for workers.

In the unanimous Groff v. DeJoy decision, the Supreme Court raised the legal standard employers must meet before denying religious accommodations. Previously, businesses only had to show a request created more than a minimal burden. Now, employers must prove the accommodation would impose “substantial increased costs” on the business.

The EEOC appears ready to argue that allowing one manager to avoid Saturday shifts never came close to meeting that threshold.

Torode reportedly suggested several scheduling compromises that would have allowed her to continue working while practicing her faith, but the company allegedly refused every option.

Neither Chick-fil-A corporate nor Hatch Trick has publicly commented on the lawsuit.

But the case is already fueling outrage online, with many conservatives arguing the situation highlights growing hostility toward Christians in the workplace — even inside companies that publicly champion religious values.