A rise in unfair dismissals in the UK has been blamed in part on the influence of Sir Alan Sugar and his blunt, no-nonsense attitude.
Famous for telling failed contestants that they're fired in his BBC television show, The Apprentice, Sir Alan has garnered a reputation for himself as a hard-talking, stern manager.
This approach to management is claimed to be influencing bosses across the country, leading to thousands of unfair dismissal cases.
One expert, John Muir of Muir Myles Laverty, maintains that copycat bosses are risking tribunal action by taking Sir Alan's lead.
"Since The Apprentice came on TV, we've seen a massive rise in dismissals in which employers or bosses apparently emulate or copy Sir Alan Sugar's methods," he commented.
The Employment Tribunals Service reports a 24 per cent increase in employment tribunal claims since The Apprentice first aired on BBC 2 in 2004. The total number of claims reached 115,000 last year.
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