In South Carolina, a Christian cook who lost his job for not working Sundays will receive a $40,000 (£31,144) settlement.

Eddie Moton Jr. was initially granted a religious accommodation in 2021 by International House of Pancakes (IHOP), but was fired after a new manager insisted he work on Sundays.

Under the settlement, franchise owner Suncakes will provide training to managers on religious liberty, ensure all employees are informed about the case, and revise its policies to expressly protect religious accommodations, as reported by The Christian Institute.

The incident sparked controversy when the manager devalued Moton's religious commitments over workplace demands, stating that Moton prioritised church over paying bills. However, Taittiona Miles, the case's lead attorney said: “Employers must respect all sincerely held religious beliefs, which includes providing reasonable accommodations when no undue hardship exists.”

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Melinda Dugas reinforced that requesting religious accommodations is a right protected by federal law, and employers cannot penalise employees for such requests.

This case also drew parallels to UK legal protections for retail workers regarding Sunday work. UK government guidance protects employees from unfair treatment or dismissal for refusing Sunday shifts, highlighting a 2005 Employment Tribunal decision against Pathway Care Solutions for its unreasonable requirement for all employees to work on Sundays, which adversely affected a Christian employee.