EEOC announced on Tuesday that Hungry Ghost Coffee in New York will pay $22,500 to settle a Title VII claim alleging that the shop denied a Muslim barista a shift change for Ramadan and subsequently terminated his employment.
Complaint and Settlement Details
In March 2023 the employee approached his supervisor and asked that the regular 2 p.m.-8 p.m. shift not be scheduled for him during the month of Ramadan so that he could observe the daily fast until sunset. The manager, however, kept the barista on two of those evening shifts despite the request.
The barista and a co-worker who worked the earlier shift agreed to swap shifts, but the manager refused to allow it. The manager then fired him before his regular shift ended, allegedly referencing the requested accommodation and accusing the barista of trying to control the work schedule.
The settlement resolves the charge without any finding of fact. EEOC said the payment reflects the agency’s emphasis on enforcing protections against religious bias in the workplace.
Agency’s Enforcement Stance
Regional Attorney Kimberly Cruz said the case highlights the agency’s “steadfast” commitment to preventing discrimination based on faith. She noted that the company agreed to an early resolution and pledged to provide training on religious accommodation.
Since new leadership took over the agency in 2025, officials have emphasized a more assertive approach to enforcing Title VII. EEOC announced last year that it would intensify efforts to protect workers who face a choice between “their paycheck and their faith.”
Under the terms of this settlement, the coffee shop will operate under a two-year consent decree that makes no findings of fact or conclusions of law but requires ongoing compliance measures and monitoring.
Training Requirements
According to the decree, Hungry Ghost Coffee must deliver annual training on federal anti-discrimination laws to all employees, including supervisors and human-resources personnel. The training is intended to raise awareness of employees’ rights and to prevent future violations.
The curriculum must cover Title VII’s prohibition of religious discrimination, present practical examples of reasonable accommodations, outline employee rights, and detail the company’s reporting procedures for complaints, accommodation requests, and retaliation claims.
After his dismissal, the barista told his manager that he was simply asking for “a time to break [his] fast and feel normal during this month” of Ramadan, the complaint states, showing the personal impact of the denied accommodation.
