ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Marriott Vacation Club International laid off 168 employees on Wednesday. Workers told Eyewitness News that they were at work for nearly one hour before they were told they were no longer employed.

Employees said half of the workers in the Club's call center were laid off and many said they didn't know it was coming. The fact that Christmas is a week away made the news more difficult.

"People were crying because they got families to take care of," said one worker.

No one in charge wanted to talk about the situation, but employees said this division of Marriott Vacation Club International overhauled its entire budget in preparation for slower time share business in 2009.