Model employee fights dismissal

By Tony Wall

The Fire Service has sacked one of the operators answering its 111 calls because she has epilepsy - despite the woman's having worked successfully for five months.

Martha Chessum, of Northcote, is fighting the decision to sack her after she suffered a mild seizure on the job.

She has gone to the Employment Tribunal seeking her job back and compensation for loss of earnings and humiliation. She alleges disability discrimination.

Mrs Chessum, aged 32, was a model employee at the Fire Service communications centre in Auckland, where she took 111 calls and dispatched fire crews.

A Hamilton fire chief wrote an unsolicited letter praising her clarity, confidence and calmness in dispatching appliances.

But things began to go wrong for the mother of two after she suffered a mild seizure during a 12-hour shift in February.

Mrs Chessum, who developed idiopathic epilepsy in 1985, said she had been unwell but went to work because her contract did not allow for sick pay.

She started feeling worse during her shift and asked to take a break, handing over to a supervisor. She then suffered a mild seizure in a meal room and was taken home.

A month later, Mrs Chessum received a letter saying she had been declared medically unfit and was "unable to continue with this assignment."

Mrs Chessum said she had letters from four medical experts, including a neurologist, saying that her condition was mild and she was fit to work.

"It's not right that a person who has a seizure once every couple of years is considered a danger to the job and other staff," she said.

"They need staff up there and I'm here sitting at home when I could be doing a job I enjoy and do well."

Mrs Chessum said she had worked successfully as a business banking officer and entertainment centre manager without ever having a day off owing to epilepsy.

Dr Courtenay Kenny, a Devonport occupational physician, has provided a nine-page report in which he says that Mrs Chessum is capable of working as an emergency service operator, with proper medical management of her condition.

The Fire Service employee relations adviser, Brigid Corcoran, said: "It's not our practice to discuss employee matters in the paper and if Martha Chessum has chosen to do that I guess that's down to her."