Worker says she was bullied to show cake

Baywide NZCU is at the centre of a cake controversy

A Hawke's Bay financial worker says she was told to "keep your voice down" when "bullied" into revealing a Facebook image of a cake with an abusive inscription.

Former NZ Credit Union Baywide (NZCU) employee Hayley Edmondson said she felt "uncomfortable" and "vulnerable" when asked to log in to her Facebook account and find the crumbs of a "damaging" photo posted by former colleague and family friend Karen Hammond.

The Human Rights Tribunal is sitting in Napier this week to hear the case of ex-NZCU employee Miss Hammond, who claims her privacy was breached when the credit union took a screenshot of the offending cake from her Facebook page.

Miss Hammond left the company in March 2012 and five days later baked the dessert for her workmate, whom she believed had been constructively fired from the company.

The fruit and chocolate chunk cake, with "Credit Union Baywide f*** you c***s" in pink icing, was taken to a dinner party and an image uploaded.

Miss Edmondson said NZCU human resources manager Louise Alexandra had pressured her into disclosing the photo circulating on social media.

Once NZCU executives obtained a copy of the photo it was distributed to recruitment agencies and Miss Hammond's new employer, Financepoint, with a request she be sacked.

Miss Edmondson, who had known Miss Hammond since she was 14 years old, added she later resigned from her job with NZCU because of the "deliberate breaches in privacy" which made her "feel unsafe".

She said she initially hid the truth about her resignation and felt "hurt and humiliated", while wondering "if I was honest about what I truly thought ... would [they] contact my future employer?"

Later in the afternoon, Hawke's Bay Today presented its written submissions to the tribunal requesting permission to publish the image of the cake.

Miss Hammond, who is representing herself, argued against publication and said she was before the tribunal in an effort to keep the image private and prevent further emotional harm.

"The media frenzy that has happened now ... to apply for a job and you Google Karen Hammond. I mean how far do I need to be stripped?"

Hawke's Bay Today's argument, which was also orally supported by The Dominion Post and Radio NZ, asked for an open judicial process, freedom of speech and the right for the media to report the evidence and exhibits presented before a public tribunal.

NZCU did not have position on the matter.

Tribunal chairman Roger Haines, QC, said the tribunal had to decide whether "the damage caused by publicity of the photo would genuinely outweigh any public interest".

"Miss Hammond is at risk of forever being established with that image - this could well have long-term consequences for her employment and future prospects," chairman Haines said when ruling against publication of the cake.

The case, before chairman Haines and tribunal members Wendy Gilchrist and Brian Neeson, continues today.