A long-time employee of Brisbane CityCat has been dismissed from her position after her employer's decision to terminate her employment was upheld by a workplace tribunal due to excessive absences.
Jodie Daunis, who served as a customer service operator on Brisbane's well-known ferries for several years, was let go in July last year by the transportation company Kelsian Group.
Records from the tribunal revealed that Daunis took an extraordinary 114 sick days within a single 12-month period.
The company determined that her ongoing health issues made it unreliable for her to continue performing her duties on the river.
Daunis began experiencing health complications around April 2024 when she was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, leading to recurring blood clots, inflammation, and persistent pain.
In November of that year, doctors recommended surgery for her condition, but she was placed on a public hospital waiting list after her insurance declined coverage.
On April 6, 2025, Daunis was hospitalized due to deep vein thrombosis, causing her to be absent from work for about a week.
Upon her return, she was only able to work two shifts before the pain hindered her ability to fulfill her responsibilities, as reported by the Fair Work Commission.
In April, Daunis informed the company's people and culture manager that both a vascular surgeon and a blood specialist advised her to remain on medical leave for the next three months.
In June, an independent medical examination was conducted, but there was a dispute over the interpretation of the report.
Daunis and the Maritime Union of Australia believed the assessment indicated she could resume work after her planned surgery. However, Kelsian Group interpreted the report differently, stating that she could not meet the essential requirements of her role on the ferries.
The company argued that accommodating Daunis with reduced hours would have caused scheduling difficulties for other staff members, leading to operational challenges.
On July 1, Kelsian terminated Daunis' employment, citing an inability to adjust her role to accommodate her medical limitations.
Despite challenging the decision, the Fair Work Commission ruled in favor of the ferry operator.
Commissioner Chris Simpson stated that the medical report from June did not provide sufficient evidence that Daunis would be able to resume her full duties in the near future.
He concurred with the company's position that adjusting Daunis' hours was not feasible given the nature of her role and its impact on other staff members, making it unreasonable to accommodate her current or future incapacity.
0 Comments