Business Solicitors Ipswich – Apprentice winner loses claim against Lord Sugar’s company

‘Stella English, who won series six of ‘The Apprentice’ has lost her claim of constructive dismissal against Lords Sugar’s company, Amshold Group Ltd.

The Employment Tribunal panel unanimously found against Ms English. In a written verdict, the employment judge John Warren stated she was ‘ill advised’ to bring such a claim.

Ms English accepted three separate contracts of employment during the time she was employed by Lord Sugar. However, she still claimed that throughout her employment she had been subject to treatment so serious and unjust that she was left with no other option but to resign from her £100,000 job describing herself as an ‘overpaid lackey’.

Ms English told the tribunal she was given a desk and a phone but no specific duties. She said her boss Bordan Tkachuk told her on her first day that ‘There is no job.’ Before accepting the job Miss English was warned she would be reporting to someone other than Lord Sugar on a day to day basis and she was highly unlikely to see Lord Sugar himself regularly.

The tribunal dismissed her complaint of Unfair Dismissal, finding that there was, in fact, no dismissal, Ms English had simply resigned.

Lord Sugar is reported to have said that ‘The allegations were without substance, and I believe this case was brought with one intention in mind – the presumption that I would not attend the tribunal, that I would not testify and that I would settle out-of-court, sending Ms English on her way with a tidy settlement. I’m afraid she underestimated me and her reputation is now in tatters. I have principles and I am not going to compromise them, no matter how much time and money they cost me.’ ‘

Dermott Thomas is a business solicitor specialising in employment law at Barker Gotelee, solicitors in Ipswich

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