BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WJW) – Restaurant chain P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc. has agreed to pay thousands of dollars to a job applicant who wasn’t hired last year.

The investigation began after a man interviewed for a position at P.F. Chang’s in Birmingham, Alabama, in August 2024, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The applicant told EEOC investigators that, during the interview process, he requested off on Sundays because of his religious beliefs.

Through the investigation, the EEOC determined that P.F. Chang’s didn’t hire the applicant because of that request.

This violates the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC said, “which prohibits discrimination because of an individual’s religion and requires employers to reasonably accommodate an employee’s religious observance or practice unless doing so would cause undue hardship.”

On Monday, the EEOC confirmed that P.F. Chang’s agreed to settle the case by paying the applicant $80,000.

The company also agreed to train employees, managers, supervisors and human resource officials in Birmingham on equal opportunity rights.

“We commend P.F. Chang’s for their commitment to ensuring that their restaurants make reasonable efforts to accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs,” said Bradley Anderson, director of the EEOC’s Birmingham District Office, in a press release. “This case should serve as a reminder for employers to train supervisors and representatives to recognize requests for religious accommodations. It is important all employers understand that federal law requires reasonable religious accommodations, unless such an accommodation would pose an undue hardship substantial to the overall context of the business.”