Marie Jean Pierre, 60, had her religious requirements accommodated by the Conrad Miami Hotel for nearly a decade.

Ms Pierre told NBC 6 Miami: “I love God. No work on Sunday, because Sunday I honour God.”

When the hotel, managed by Hilton Hotels, suddenly asked her to start working on Sundays, she failed to show up and was fired for absenteeism.

Ms Pierre then took the hotel to court under the Civil Rights Act 1964 and was awarded $21 million in damages, $35,000 in back wages and $500,000 for emotional pain and mental anguish.

However, under a US federal court cap on punitive damages awards, she will only receive $300,000 of the $21 million agreed by jurors.

Ms Pierre’s lawyer said the case was “not about money”, adding: “She’s a soldier of Christ. She was doing this for all the other workers who are being discriminated against.”