Dispatcher fired for taking time off for daughter with cancer

ST JOSEPH COUNTY (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A 911 dispatcher has been fired and it's got some in the community upset.

Leaders are calling it a lose-lose situation, they fired the dispatcher for missing too much work.

The problem is, her two-year-old daughter has cancer.

"Cancer never came into my mind," said Tracy Monroe. Two-year-old Marissa has had chemo, surgery and radiation all to fight neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer.

"We catch ourselves not believing it's really happening to her," said Monroe.

The fight for Marissa's life is Tracy Monroe's number one priority, forcing work as a dispatcher to the backburner.

That equals a lot of sick time and leaves of absence which she's now out of.

"We have to get to a point where we are no longer covering for her," said St. Joseph County Central Dispatch Director Andy Goldberger.

That point came on Monday, the third day Monroe took off work without leave.

Marissa needed surgery in New York and Monroe lost her job.

Fellow dispatcher Sheryl Fensat has also lost her job. She resigned because the county wouldn't make an exception for her fellow dispatcher.

"When it came to doing a little extra they can put on a stop," said Sensat.

"We have followed the laws, contracts and department policy over part time people switching shifts," said Goldberger.

He says the county's done as much as he can.

Monroe's supporters say it's not enough.