By FireRescue1 Staff
TAMPA, Fla. — Colleagues of a female firefighter who is suing for discrimination testified that they were concerned about safety issues when she worked during her pregnancy.
Tampa Bay Times reported that Tampa Fire Rescue District Chief Mark Bogush and Captain David Gillen said Tanja Vidovic’s performance during her third trimester of pregnancy drew concerns from her crew, and Capt. Gillen asked that an additional firefighter be added on during Vidovic’s shifts.
“He told me he needed the fourth firefighter because of her condition and she couldn’t perform all the duties as she should,” Chief Bogush said.
Firefighter Andre Williams said Vidovic was a strong firefighter before her pregnancy, but when she worked into her third trimester, he was no longer comfortable and asked to be moved to another station.
“Our lives depend on our captain, our driver and our firefighter,” Williams said. “I know that the firefighter I was working with at the time could not perform her duties.”
Vidovic was required to take a fit for duty test, and Dr. Kathleen Jenkins said she cleared Vidovic after two separate tests.