The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against Hatch Trick, an Austin‑area Chick‑fil‑A franchisee, accusing it of religious discrimination. A manager who belongs to the United Church of God requested Saturdays off because her denomination observes the Sabbath on that day. Hatch Trick initially granted the request but later tried to schedule her for Saturday shifts.

When the employee appealed, management offered to keep her on the schedule only if she accepted a lower‑paying position with reduced hours and benefits. She declined, and the franchise terminated her employment.

EEOC says the offer amounted to a punitive trade‑off for her religious practice, violating Title VII protections. The complaint also demands back pay and injunctive relief to ensure future Sabbath accommodations.

The case pits Chick‑fil‑A’s public Sunday‑closure policy against the rights of workers who observe a Saturday Sabbath, exposing a potential legal risk for its franchise network. If the EEOC prevails, franchisees could face costly settlements and be forced to revise scheduling practices nationwide, adding compliance costs to an already tightly margin‑driven business across its 2,800 locations in the United States.