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The Apprentice Analysed
The Lawyer Online
01 May 2008
On this most political of Thursdays, our emails at RJW have not stopped buzzing. You'd be mistaken to think we were discussing the "Boris/Ken/can someone explain proportional representation" debate. We were, of course, poring over last night's side-splitting, yet at times distressing, episode of the Apprentice.
Here are just some of this week's issue that we have stuffed into a hole vaguely resembling "employment issues":
1. Have the candidates signed an "opt out" of the Working Time Regulations 1998? They get called and awoken at pre-dawn o'clock and often work late into the night before scrambling for the boardroom. And yet, they look like they've just stepped out of a salon!
2. References to Kevin having "short man syndrome" should clearly be grounds for disability discrimination and/or sex discrimination. This gives new meaning to "micro-management". Kevin would also have a groundbreaking claim under the Sexual Orientation regulations: was he sacked for his uncanny resemblance to Dafydd, the only gay in the village?
3. Kevin made repeated qualifying disclosures that "the environment has been, is being or is likely to be damaged" within section 43B Employment Rights Act 1996. Does Sir Alan's hostility to the environmental issue suggest that Kevin was dismissed for whistleblowing?
4. We loved the concept of National Singles' Day (note correct apostrophe position) because it means we can now lobby to include "singledom" as an unlawful ground for sex discrimination.
5. Michael, Michael - what were you thinking? But wouldn't we lawyers secretly love to celebrate a victory in the same way?
Again this week, to finish on a serious point. The scapegoating and ostracising of Sara was very uncomfortable viewing. She complained earlier of not being heard and was later set upon by the other vicious candidates, with only Raef (the only other remaining non-white candidate) standing up for her. Sir Alan said he could recognise bullying when he saw it, so let's hope that he will discourage this type of behaviour by getting rid of the bullies.