2 Dec 2014

Bullied into Facebook access - staffer

4:10 pm on 2 December 2014

A former NZCU Baywide staff member has described how the company's human resources manager forced her to access a former staff member's Facebook page.

NZCU Baywide

NZCU Baywide Photo: RNZ / Peter Fowler

Karen Hammond is alleging breach of privacy at a Human Rights Review Tribunal Hearing in Napier against the customer-owned credit union, which has assets of more than $250 million.

She claims it illegally accessed a picture on Facebook of a cake she decorated with swear words about the credit union.

The Human Rights Review Tribunal has been told that NZCU Baywide then shared the picture with recruitment agencies and others in an effort to destroy Ms Hammond's career.

Hayley Edmondson was a Facebook friend of Ms Hammond and worked at NZCU Baywide.

She said the company's human resources manager, Louise Alexandra, forced her to access the Facebook page so she could take a screenshot of the cake photo.

"At no stage did I feel comfortable about what I was doing and would have chosen if, not under pressure from Louise Alexandra, to take no part in the incident."

Ms Edmondson said she felt upset and bullied by what happened.