Postie sacked for Facebook remarks loses job bid

Photo / The Aucklander

An Auckland postie who was sacked for criticising New Zealand Post customers and a colleague on Facebook has lost his interim bid to get his job back.

Lyndon Hohaia set up and ran two Facebook pages, PostieLad and PostieLand, which contained "highly unflattering" descriptions of New Zealand Post customers and negative references about the body shape of a colleague.

Mr Hohaia was fired in June after an upset colleague brought the sites to the attention of his superiors.

Mr Hohaia said he did not mean for the pages to be open to the public and sought his old job back pending the results of an investigation into claims his dismissal was unjustified.

ERA member Alastair Dumbleton ruled against Mr Hohaia and said a decision on whether he should get his job back should be made after the full investigation of his claim for unjustified dismissal had been completed. The case is due to be heard next week.

Mr Hohaia has sought $7000 compensation for loss of dignity and injury.

- NZPA