Millionaire Alan Sugar Sued for Sexual Discrimination

Posted on Jul 01, 2009 
 

Millionaire and "The Apprentice Host", Sir Alan Sugar, is being sued by a female employee for sexual discrimination and unfair dismissal after she claimed that she was undermined and forced out of Sir Alan's Amscreen company. 
 
46 year old Hanna Sebright is suing Sir Alan, his son Simon and last year's winner of "The Apprentice", Lee McQueen, for sexual discrimination after allegedly being forced out of her £70,000 a year position as managing director of Amscreen.  
 
Mrs Sebright's business, Electronic Health Media Limited, which sells advertising space on digital information screens which are positioned in hospital and screens, was bought by Sir Alan Sugar who incorporated it into one of his businesses, Amscreen.  
 
In the takeover, Mrs Sebright became managing director but now claims that she was forced out by Sir Alan and his son Simon. She also claims that she was made to make room in her department so that Yasmina Siadatan and Kate Walsh, "The Apprentice" finalists could compete against each other.  
 
Mrs Sebright also accuses last year's winner of "The Apprentice", Lee McQueen, of making lewd and sexist remarks to her and claims that she had to start wearing more conservative work clothes after Mr McQueen had commented on how she was "heavy-breasted", commented on other women's bodies and told her stories of his friend having sex with two women at the same time.  
 
It is thought that Mrs Sebright will claim that her position as managing director was "systematically undermined" from the start and that she was excluded from the "all male leadership" of the company because she was not invited to any relevant financial planning meetings or allowed to see any information or data on budgets.  
 
She claims that the stress that she has been through has given her severe migraines and caused her to lose around 2 stone in weight due to ill health.  
 
The Daily Mail believes that Mrs Sebright has submitted legal papers in preparation for an employment tribunal and is seeking £140,000 in compensation for constructive unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination. Sir Alan is thought to have said that he has only met Mrs Sebright once and that was only for ten minutes.  
 
A spokesman for Sir Alan, his son and Lee McQueen has said: "Amscreen was notified of these tribunal proceedings on Monday June 8 and they intend to vigorously defend them."  
 
Sir Alan and his company will not be making any further comments on the case because they do not wish to prejudice the legal process.