Time Off for Sabbath: An Increasingly Common Cause of EEOC Lawsuits
June 4th, 2025
The Sabbath is a time of rest for many people of faith, including Jews and Christians. It represents the seventh day of the creation story, which tells that God took the seventh day of the week to rest. As a result of this story, many people of faith believe that it is their duty to also abstain from work during the Sabbath. Depending on how Orthodox an individual is, they may abstain from a wide range of other duties as well, even if they are not strictly connected to work and earning income. The Sabbath has led to many Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) lawsuits, including a recent case in Florida.
Hotel Employee Was Instructed to Work the Sabbath, According to EEOC Lawsuit
In May of 2025, the Miami Herald reported that an employee of a major hotel chain had filed an EEOC lawsuit. She claims that she was instructed to work the Sabbath despite her religious objections. What makes this case particularly notable is that the woman was reportedly granted a religious exemption for two years prior to this incident. She claims that the company suddenly rescinded this exemption without warning.
The employee is a Seventh-day Adventist. This religious group takes the Sabbath extremely seriously, and it is a core part of their belief system. But what makes the Seventh-day Adventists slightly different is that they observe the Sabbath on Saturdays – not Sundays.
She disclosed her faith during her initial job interview, making it clear that she could not accept the offer unless she could take Saturdays off. Her boss at the time accepted this request and hired her, with the understanding that she would always have Saturdays off.
A New Role Brings about A Change in Scheduling
After a few years, she began to have issues with new managers. After being transferred to a higher position, her new managers refused to respect the agreed-upon religious exemption. She was even punished for asking about what happened with her previous agreement with the other boss.
The plaintiff then claims that she was scheduled to work on Saturdays. This caused her to file a religious discrimination report with human resources, which predictably fell on deaf ears. The HR team told her to come in on Saturdays, and she had no choice but to quit.
The hotel chain now faces allegations of retaliation and termination based on religious discrimination. The EEOC notes that they failed to come to an agreement with the hotel company, and they are seeking back pay and punitive damages. Based on this failure to reach a deal, the EEOC officially filed a lawsuit against the hotel in the Middle District of Florida.
This Is Not the First Time Sabbath Has Led to EEOC Lawsuits
This is not the first EEOC lawsuit based on the Sabbath, and it probably will not be the last. In 2023, a postman made headlines around the nation when he successfully sued the USPS for religious discrimination, as discussed in our previous blog entry. He is an evangelical Christian, and he was denied time off to observe the Sabbath. Based on this Supreme Court ruling, one would expect the hotel worker to have similar levels of success.
The Goal of the Universal Life Church’s Blog
Each month, various lawsuits test the nature of religious rights in this country. While the basis for many religious rights is the United States Constitution, there are still countless cases that question the exact nature of these rights. The Universal Life Church’s blog is focused on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases in an objective manner that can be easily understood by readers.
