Key Highlights
- A TikTok video from @georgesternleadership described an employee’s resignation from a high-end hotel pastry department.
- The employee cited New York’s at-will employment law and alleged that workers who gave two weeks’ notice had their hours cut sharply.
- The Daily Dot said it could not independently verify the email exchange or the workplace incidents described in the video.
Hotel Employee Responds to Manager After Resigning
A TikTok user known as @georgesternleadership, identified as George Stern, shared the story of a woman who resigned from her job at a high-end hotel while attempting to leave on respectful terms. The employee reportedly worked in the hotel’s pastry department and offered to continue working on a “per diem basis” if her manager needed coverage.
The video, posted on June 16, had received 579,400 views as of publication. According to George Stern, the employee sent him the emails she exchanged with her manager. She said the hotel was known for reducing employees’ hours to almost zero after they submitted two weeks’ notice.
In her initial resignation email, the employee reportedly said she loved working for the company and would miss her team. She also explained that she was moving forward with new career opportunities and thanked her manager for everything. After reading the message, George Stern said, “What a thoughtful email,”
Manager Challenges the Employee’s Notice Period
The manager responded that he wanted to discuss the resignation after the employee returned from vacation. He also objected to the amount of notice she had provided, writing, “Four days’ notice is not even close to the standard I ask my staff to provide their current employer, as the notice of two weeks is the bare bones asked of employees in all industries.”
According to George Stern’s account, the manager added that if the employee still intended to leave, he would begin counting a two-week notice period from the date she sent her resignation email. George Stern criticized that position, saying, “She does not owe him anything.”
Employee Cites New York At-Will Employment Law
In her response, the employee explained why she had decided to resign. George Stern said she referred to New York’s at-will employment law, under which employees and employers can generally end their employment relationship at any time and for any reason.
The employee also reportedly described the hotel’s practice of cutting workers’ hours to near zero—or to zero—after they submitted two weeks’ notice. She said employees who gave notice faced severe consequences, making it unreasonable for her to provide the customary two-week period.
She further raised concerns about how a sexual harassment complaint had been handled. According to the account read by George Stern, the employee said the colleague named in the complaint remained on the payroll, while her own hours were changed to accommodate the man on the schedule. After hearing that explanation, George Stern said, “So, so good. This is the way to go out,”
Viewers Debate Whether Employees Owe Two Weeks’ Notice
The TikTok account prompted viewers to debate whether workers are obligated to provide two weeks’ notice when resigning. One commenter wrote, “Giving notice is a courtesy. Period. We owe employers nothing.” Another wrote, “Do they give you a notice when they fire you?! Absolutely not.”
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the events described in the video, including the emails, the hotel’s alleged scheduling practices, and the workplace incidents referenced by the creator. The employee, her manager, and the colleague mentioned in connection with the harassment complaint have not been identified or independently confirmed.
Why This Matters
The account highlights the tension between the workplace convention of giving two weeks’ notice and New York’s at-will employment framework. It also illustrates how alleged scheduling practices can influence an employee’s decision about how much notice to provide. In this case, the employee’s explanation and the manager’s response became the focus of a widely viewed TikTok discussion, although the underlying claims remain unverified.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the TikTok video?
@georgesternleadership, identified as George Stern, shared emails involving a hotel pastry department employee who resigned, received criticism from her manager over her four days’ notice, and responded by explaining her concerns about workplace practices and a sexual harassment complaint.
What employment law did the employee cite?
The employee referred to New York’s at-will employment law, which generally allows employees and employers to end their employment relationship at any time and for any reason.
Were the employee’s claims independently verified?
No. The Daily Dot reported that it could not independently verify the email exchange or the workplace incidents described in the TikTok video. The identities of the people involved also have not been confirmed.
