Mr Donnelly started working at DFDS in their Guernsey branch in October 2007, and he had become an Assistant Bosun. Mr Donnelly went on sick leave but rejoined the boat in January 2023, having passed the medical examination to be able to rejoin. In March 2023 Mr Donnelly discovered he had exhausted his sick pay, despite not being notified about this. In October 2023, Mr Donnelly had received treatment through physiotherapy and injections to help his pain. "This would have involved supporting [Mr Donnelly] in passing the screening programme as soon as he was fit enough to work.