This is the moment that a female worker was punched in the face by her manager at a New York restaurant.

Horrified customers looked on as the woman was sent crashing to the ground after her heavy set boss at Panera Bread delivered two blows.

The violent fracas was said to have taken place as the woman was trying to quit her job at the store in Park Avenue, Manhattan.

This is the moment that the manager at a New York restaurant hit a female employee

The man, who is clearly a foot taller than his employee, then appears to swing his fist at the woman twice.

Appalled onlookers were heard to scream 'don't hit her', moments before the unnamed manager landed the blow that sent the woman crashing to the floor.

The pair were then separated by fellow staff at the restaurant.

The video of the violent brawl was filmed by 28-year-old Joe Schumacher, who told Pix 11 that the incident started much earlier when the woman was thrown out of the restaurant.

After reportedly crashing down a flight of steps she was then said to have charged back in and confronted her boss.

The woman and her boss were caught on camera wrestling over a bag before the violent attack

The male boss, who is clearly taller than the junior employee, was then captured swinging his fist

Police were called to the restaurant and following an investigation found that the manager was acting in self defence, according to NY Daily News.

He later declined to press charges against the woman.

Panera Bread said both the manager and the female worker had been fired as a result of the incident, according to NY Daily News.

'Today there were reports of a physical altercation between two associates at our Park Avenue South bakery-cafe,' spokeswoman Amanda Cardosi said.

'We have a zero tolerance policy for violence and worked swiftly with authorities to investigate. The associates who were determined to be involved no longer work for Panera,' Cardosi added.