Former employees of healthcare recruiter Ambition24Hours have hit back at chief executive Penny Streeter, who complained publicly that her UK administrative staff were unreliable, incompetent and untrustworthy (Recruiter, 8 February).

They claim that not only are Streeter's allegations untrue, but that the company regularly docked sick pay and compassionate leave and that it was a harsh working environment where ill treatment by Streeter, her brother or partner regularly led to tribunal hearings.

Department of Trade and Industry records show that from 2000 to 2005, six employees took Ambition24Hours to employment tribunals for unfair dismissal, sex discrimination, breach of contract, and other issues.

One of the six cases, a complaint of sex discrimination, was successful, with £2,500 compensation paid. A settlement was agreed for another. The other four were unsuccessful.

One senior consultant who left Ambition24Hours in 2004 after three years with the company, told Recruiter that he was not given fully-paid compassionate leave to attend a funeral of a close relative and that he lost one week's wages and one week's holiday after having to take time off after an operation.

Streeter said: “To say I don't look after my staff is absolute rubbish. To say I don't reward people for not being there and for paying for extra days off would be true.”