A Texas Chick-fil-A franchise operator is getting roasted in federal court after allegedly pulling a move that critics say reeks of corporate hypocrisy: forcing a Christian employee to choose between her paycheck and her Sabbath — at the same chain famous for shutting its doors on Sundays in the name of faith and family.

According to a lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Hatch Trick Inc., which operates several Chick-fil-A restaurants around Austin, is accused of refusing to accommodate an employee’s religious observance before ultimately giving her the boot.

The employee at the center of the case, Laurel Torode, is a member of the United Church of God and says her beliefs prohibit her from working from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday. And here’s the kicker: she allegedly made that crystal clear during her job interview.

For a while, the arrangement apparently worked just fine.

Torode served as a manager overseeing delivery drivers at one Austin-area location, and the company initially honored her Sabbath observance, according to the complaint. But in early 2024, things allegedly changed fast.

“In early February 2024, Defendant told Torode that going forward it would require her to work on Saturdays, to include the period in which she observes the Sabbath,” the EEOC stated in the lawsuit.

According to the federal complaint, Torode tried to work out alternatives with company leadership that would allow her to stay in management while continuing to observe her faith. Instead, she says she was handed what looked less like an accommodation and more like a demotion with a side of punishment.

The company allegedly told her the only way to avoid Saturday shifts was to step down into a lower-tier delivery driver role that came with reduced pay, fewer hours and weaker benefits. When she refused to take the downgrade, Hatch Trick allegedly terminated her employment.

Now the EEOC says the franchise may have violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which requires employers to reasonably accommodate religious beliefs unless doing so would create an “undue hardship” on the business. “The duty under federal law to provide reasonable accommodation of religion reflects an acknowledgment by our society of the importance of faith in workers’ everyday lives and an abiding respect for those who observe religious practices as an expression of that faith,” acting EEOC Dallas Regional Attorney Ronald L. Phillips said in a statement.

The case landed in federal court in Austin after the EEOC said attempts to settle the dispute outside court failed.

Chick-fil-A has spent decades cultivating a squeaky-clean image rooted in Christian values. Founder S. Truett Cathy famously instituted the chain’s Sunday closure policy back in 1946 so employees could “rest, enjoy time with their families and loved ones or worship if they choose.”

That branding has long made the chicken giant a darling of conservatives and faith-based customers — while simultaneously making it a punching bag for progressive activists furious over the company’s historic ties to traditional Christian causes. Now the chain finds itself tangled in a lawsuit that critics say cuts directly against the wholesome image plastered across every drive-thru in America. To be clear, Chick-fil-A corporate is already distancing itself from the mess. The company said employment decisions are handled by individual franchise operators, not headquarters.

The company declined further comment on the pending litigation. Hatch Trick Inc. also did not publicly respond to the allegations.