Brisbane City Cat Employee Dismissed Due to Absenteeism
A long-time employee of Brisbane City Cat has lost her position after a workplace tribunal supported her employer’s decision to terminate her for excessive absenteeism.
Jodi Dounis, who had worked as a customer service operator on Brisbane’s renowned ferries, was recruited by transport company Kelsian Group last July.
Court documents reveal that Daunis had taken 114 days of sick leave within a single year.
The company determined that her ongoing health issues meant she could not consistently perform her duties on the ferries.
Her health began to decline around April 2024, marked by complications such as deep vein thrombosis and frequent blood clots, which caused ongoing pain and inflammation.
In November of that year, doctors recommended surgery, but her insurance provider denied coverage, placing her on a waiting list at a public facility.
On April 6, 2025, she was hospitalized for DVT and missed approximately a week of work.
Upon her return, she managed only two shifts before the pain hindered her ability to fulfill her responsibilities, as outlined in the Fair Work Commission hearings.
Later that month, she informed the HR manager that both her vascular surgeon and hematologist advised her to take a three-month leave.
In June, Daunis underwent an independent medical evaluation, but a disagreement soon emerged regarding the report’s interpretation.
Ms. Daunis and the Australian Maritime Union contended that the assessment indicated she could return to work post-surgery. Conversely, Kelsian maintained that the report suggested she was unable to meet her job’s core requirements.
The company further argued that permitting Daunis to work limited hours would negatively impact their staffing arrangements, as other employees would need to fill in.
By July 1, tensions escalated, leading Kelsian to end Daunis’ employment, asserting they could not modify her role to accommodate her medical limitations.
She appealed the dismissal, but the Fair Work Commission ultimately sided with the ferry operator.
Commissioner Chris Simpson noted that the medical report from June was “sufficiently insufficient” to justify Daunis’ immediate return to full duties.
He stated, “I cannot accept that the independent medical examination ultimately determined that Ms. Daunis would be able to meet the specific requirements of the role in the future.”
Simpson also agreed with the company’s stance on the impracticality of adjusting work hours due to the arrangement’s nature, the potential impact on other staff, and the costs involved in accommodating her needs.
