A former bakery employee has been awarded more than $16,000 after the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) found she was unfairly investigated and unjustifiably dismissed following concerns over missing cash, according to The Press NZ.

Hailee-Anne Hirst, who worked at Antonius Bakery in Motueka, New Zealand, received $10,000 in compensation and $6,150 in lost wages after a dispute with her employer, AL Enterprises Ltd—the company operating the bakery, directed by Anton and Larissa Balkhausen.

The ERA decision followed a series of events beginning in April 2024, when Hailee-Anne was contacted by Larissa Balkhausen about discrepancies in cash takings from a Saturday market.

Although Hailee-Anne was not working that day, tallying the cash had previously been part of her responsibilities. She told the authority she was “confused” by the call.

The next morning—on her day off—Hailee-Anne was asked to come to the closed bakery, where Larissa raised concerns about the market takings and other occasions where several hundred dollars had allegedly gone missing.

While the employer denied accusing Hailee-Anne directly, the ERA found that the conversation carried an implicit suggestion of theft.

Later that same day, Hailee-Anne said she received what she described as a “hostile” phone call and was again asked to return to the bakery. During the second meeting, she proposed improved security procedures but claimed the conversation escalated and became accusatory.

“Ms Hirst says Ms Balkhausen seemed intent on simply getting her to admit to taking money and that during this conversation she said she would call the police,” the ERA decision stated.

She later emailed her employer to express concerns about the situation, writing: “I’m now in a position where I have no job, no income, no way to pay my debts … All over a false accusation of theft, which you never told me about until the weekend.”

While Larissa replied that Hailee-Anne had not been fired and was expected to give two weeks’ notice if she chose to leave, no further communication occurred.

Instead, Larissa’s son requested the return of the bakery key, and Hailee-Anne did not return to work.

“On a fine balance, this was a situation where AL [Enterprises] dismissed Ms Hirst directly by sending her away,” the ERA concluded.

The ERA ultimately ruled that Hailee-Anne’s dismissal was unjustified, both in procedure and in substance.