Australia ferry employee fired from job after taking 114 sick days in 12 months
An extended-serving Brisbane CityCat staffer has misplaced her job after a office tribunal backed her employer’s choice to sack her following a yr of heavy absences.
Jodie Daunis, who spent a number of years working as a customer support operator on Brisbane’s iconic ferries, was proven the door in July final yr by transport big Kelsian Group.
Based on tribunal paperwork, Daunis took a staggering 114 sick days in a single 12-month interval.
The corporate concluded that her ongoing medical situation meant she may not reliably carry out the job on the river.
Her well being troubles started escalating round April 2024 when she developed deep vein thrombosis and started struggling recurrent blood clots, triggering irritation and protracted ache.
Medical doctors referred her for surgical procedure in November that yr, however the process landed her on the general public hospital waitlist after her insurance coverage supplier declined to cowl it.
Then on April 6, 2025, Daunis was hospitalized with DVT and spent a few week away from work.
When she returned, she managed solely two shifts earlier than the ache made performing her duties tough, the Truthful Work Fee heard.
Later that very same month, Daunis knowledgeable the corporate’s individuals and tradition supervisor that each a vascular surgeon and a blood specialist had suggested she stay off work for the subsequent three months.
In June, she underwent an impartial medical examination — however what that report really meant quickly turned the topic of fierce disagreement.
Daunis and the Maritime Union of Australia argued the evaluation indicated she may return to work after her deliberate surgical procedure. Kelsian, nevertheless, interpreted the report very in another way, saying it confirmed she couldn’t carry out the important duties of her ferry function.
The corporate additionally maintained that permitting Daunis to work diminished hours would have created ripple results throughout workers rosters, forcing different employees to fill the gaps.
By July 1, the scenario reached breaking level. Kelsian terminated Daunis’ employment, stating it couldn’t modify her function to accommodate the medical restrictions she confronted.
She challenged the choice however the Truthful Work Fee finally sided with the ferry operator.
Commissioner Chris Simpson dominated that the June medical report “fell effectively brief” of proving Daunis would have the ability to return to her full duties any time quickly.
“I don’t settle for that the (impartial medical examination) report conclusively decided that Ms Daunis may fulfil the inherent necessities of her function sooner or later. I’m glad that the proof doesn’t help such a conclusion.”
He additionally agreed with the corporate that its rostering system made diminished hours unrealistic.
“I settle for, making an allowance for the character of the working preparations, and the influence on different workers, and price to the respondent (Kelsian Group) in making lodging as proposed for Ms Daunis that they aren’t sensible or cheap on this case and that there was no cheap adjustment that would have been made to Ms Daunis’ function to accommodate her present or future incapacity given the character of her function,” he mentioned.
