Losing a job—especially when you didn’t see it coming—can hit hard.
Even if the firing follows protocol, there’s still the emotional fallout, especially if your job helped pay rent or feed your kids.
That stress can boil over fast. And when the moment is caught on camera, strangers on the internet are quick to judge.
That’s what happened at a Marriott Fairfield Inn in Denver, where a hotel worker had a full-blown meltdown after being fired. The internet is now divided—some calling it fair, others calling it complete unhinged behavior.
Hotel worker has a meltdown after getting fired
TikTok user @letaleja posted the now-viral video, which racked up over 4.6 million views.
In it, a woman who had apparently just been fired from the hotel walks up to the breakfast bar, grabs a full pitcher of milk, and dumps it all over the floor. Then come the rest of the items—muffins, other baked goods, everything—tossed to the ground.
In a follow-up video, @letaleja added some context about the situation, explaining that the firing had just taken place moments before.
From the looks of it, a manager was speaking with the employee in front of guests when things started to go south. “She got p-ssed and started yelling at her,” the TikToker wrote. That’s when the creator says they pulled out their phone to record—because it was clear something was about to happen.
“She destroyed the breakfast bar (idk if she originally set it up or not) and then left,” @letaleja wrote.
Wildly enough, the guest says the woman even forgot her phone in the rush and came back to retrieve it from the scene she had just wrecked.
Getting fired on the spot. Is it fair?
The U.S. operates under “at-will employment,” meaning you can be fired at any time for almost any reason, or no reason at all—as long as it’s not discriminatory. So technically, what happened at the Fairfield Inn wasn’t illegal.
But for workers, that kind of unpredictability can be exhausting. With no warning and no heads-up, things can go very wrong in a person’s life, and even lead to homelessness.
In many European countries, things are different.
Labor laws in places like Germany or France require advance notice before termination. In most cases, employers must give at least two weeks’ notice, often going to six months—and even then, it involves a severance package and official justification.
For U.S. workers, though, getting fired same-day is business as usual.
Could the ex-worker face legal trouble?
What she did—smashing the breakfast bar, throwing food, pouring milk—could be considered criminal mischief under Colorado law. If the damage is valued at less than $300, it’s typically a petty offense. This is punishable by up to 10 days in jail or a fine of up to $300. Damage between $300 and $999 jumps to a class 2 misdemeanor. It includes up to 120 days behind bars and as much as $750 in fines.
Now, in Denver specifically, petty vandalism—under $300 in damage—is treated as a petty offense (similar to a class 3 misdemeanor). However, once you’re over that amount, it’s a class 2 misdemeanor.
That means even if restaurant property valued at a few hundred dollars got trashed, she could still face real legal consequences—including fines or a brief jail sentence.
Beyond criminal charges, the hotel could also pursue civil damages or restitution to cover cleanup and replacement costs.
And while her firing may have felt abrupt, it was likely legal. Colorado is an at‑will employment state, meaning employers can terminate workers without notice or cause, unless it’s discriminatory.
Commenters weigh in
The comment section was packed, with opinions coming from all angles.
Some people were sympathetic to the ex-employee, suggesting she was probably blindsided.
“You’re right, maybe they waited for her to set everything up and then they told her she’s fired. Which angered her. Plus, we don’t know her financial situation,” one person wrote.
But others felt the reaction was too much. “Just because she got fired doesn’t give her the right to destroy everything,” someone else said.
Another added, “Jobs suck… but people need some emotional regulation. The lady that fired her won’t be cleaning that up. Other tired coworkers will.”
The situation also sparked a larger conversation about race. Especially how similar actions might be received differently depending on who’s involved.
“We all know if this was a Black person the police would have been called immediately,” one commenter said. “They wouldn’t have been able to destroy property and then walk right back in to grab their phone and walk out again.”
“Y’all all better have the same comments when a Black person does it!” another chimed in. “Remember she tired, overwhelmed, and overstimulated. Oh forget her mental health as well!”
@letaleja Dude these are too funny ? @Kaseek ♬ original sound – lilyachty
The Mary Sue has reached out to Marriott via email and @letaleja via TikTok comments.
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