A part-time worker has been awarded triple the amount of compensation she was seeking after the Fair Work Commission found she was dismissed by her employer just days after the traumatic death of her grandmother.

Forensic science student Bianca Knott was employed as a supervisor and administrator at indoor obstacle‑course Tru Ninja in Penrith, Sydney, from June 2024.

On September 19, 2025, her grandmother died unexpectedly. Ms Knott immediately informed her manager that she required time off to grieve and intended to use her bereavement leave entitlement. 

But the Commission heard that the company then persistently demanded proof of death within days of Ms Knott’s grandmother’s passing.

According to the judgment, which was handed down on Tuesday, Ms Knott told her manager straight away that she would be unable to work on September 19 and 20 – but said she would provide an update on September 22.

Tru Ninja demanded documentation to support the leave later that day, the commission heard.

On September 23, the company formally requested a death certificate, funeral notice or statutory declaration. 

Ms Knott was also asked to supply a working with children check and a first aid certificate, which Fair Work Commission Deputy President Tony Slevin described as ‘inexplicable’ in his findings.

The Fair Work Commission has ruled the company Tru Ninja – co-owned by Tania Romero (pictured) – unfairly requested evidence from an employee after their grandmother’s death

Between 22 and 29 September, the Commission heard that Tru Ninja’s management, Ms Knott, and her family exchanged repeated communications about requests for evidence. 

On one occasion, Ms Knott informed her managers she was unable to produce documentation so soon after her grandmother’s death, the commission was told.

The commission also heard that Ms Knott’s mother phoned operations manager Olga Ilina on September 23 to explain it was too early to obtain formal proof. 

The following day, Tru Ninja co-owner Tania Romero emailed Ms Knott outlining bereavement leave entitlements under the Fair Work Act, and requesting evidence by September 28 of her grandmother’s death, the commission noted.

On September 25, co-owner Evan Wardrope emailed Ms Knott repeating the request for evidence and proposing annual leave be used between September 23 and 27.

The commission was told Ms Knott emailed Mr Wardrope a medical certificate and a police event number as interim evidence of the death.

The following day Mr Wardrope responded, requesting additional evidence – a police report or official acknowledgement email to verify the police event number.

He stated compassionate leave would only be paid once the required evidence was received, the commission heard.

Bianca Knott informed her manager at Tru Ninja straight away that she would need time to grieve and hoped to use her bereavement leave entitlement, the Fair Work Commission heard 

Ms Knott answered, saying she had a right to disconnect from work, and provided a funeral notice, the commission heard.

But the commission was told Mr Wardrope rejected her right to disconnect, warning of disciplinary action if she failed to comply with lawful directions.

On October 9, Ms Knott attended a formal disciplinary meeting with Mr Wardrope and Ms Ilina where she was given a written warning letter.

The following day Ms Knott requested an official termination letter and payment for her four weeks’ notice, the findings by the commission noted.

It heard she was provided with the letter but told there was no entitlement to payment in lieu of notice because the dismissal was for serious misconduct.

The termination letter, seen by the commission, alleged Ms Knott engaged in serious misconduct by providing the personal contact details of senior managers to a third party, which the company claimed resulted in threatening and abusive phone calls. 

It also accused her of refusing to supply required evidence to support her leave application and of failing to read or respond to communications from the owner.

The letter further claimed Ms Knott had behaved in a manner that caused significant distress to management staff, including Ms Romero, who was heavily pregnant at the time.

FWC Deputy President Tony Slevin said the company’s continued insistence for proof of death in the days immediately after Ms Knott’s grandmother’s death was ‘unreasonable’

The letter also said the conduct had irreparably damaged the employment relationship, the commission noted.

During the hearing, Mr Wardrope told the commission that the dismissal was driven by tense communications between Ms Knott’s mother and company staff. 

However, Fair Work Commission Deputy President Slevin rejected that justification, describing Tru Ninja’s conduct as ‘unreasonable’. 

‘I do not find that the communications from Ms Knott’s mother were rude and abusive,’ he said in his findings.

‘They may well have been abrupt and firm, but I would not consider them to be rude or abusive. 

‘They followed a number of email exchanges in which Ms Knott continued to attempt to access her entitlements. The company’s responses, in my view, were unreasonable. 

‘Seeking proof of death in the days after the passing of Ms Knott’s grandmother was an unreasonable request.

‘The requests to be given time to provide that evidence were reasonable requests. 

‘I do not consider anything in the communications either from Ms Knott’s mother, nor from Ms Knott, nor from her cousin, amounted to communications that can be considered as serious misconduct on the part of Ms Knott.’

The FWC also found Ms Knott had not been notified of a valid reason for her dismissal, had not been warned about poor performance, and that Tru Ninja failed to take into account her distress following the traumatic death. 

‘True Ninja should have stepped back and given Ms Knott the time that she needed to grieve. It did not,’ Deputy President Slevin said in his findings.

‘Instead, it continued with emails and requests for information and engaging with Ms Knott at a time where she should have been given time to herself.’

The commission awarded Ms Knott $7,596 – three times the amount she had initially sought – in lieu of reinstatement.

Tru Ninja has been contacted for comment.