Jimmy Knapp, the general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said he was concerned that the book would be used by unscrupulous employers to get rid of unwanted staff. The TUC has said it was disappointed by the publication and would rather the book had concentrated on building industrial relations. The book advises employers to "spin out negotiations and internal appeals" because a claim for unfair dismissal must be lodged within three months of the date of the dismissal for it to be valid. "Delay in negotiations," says Mr Barnett, "is very much to your advantage, since it increases the chances of Alf [the generic name given to an employee in the book] failing to lodge his claim within time."The book also advises using a lawyer, as a letter with a firm of solicitors branded at the top may effectively "intimidate" the employee. Where there is a personality clash between two employees the book shows how to sack both of them rather than one.In a piece of hard practical advice to employers, Mr Barnett writes: "If you are concerned whether or not you are entitled to sack Alf, it is the legal bottom line which is important, and not developing better industrial relations."And, in a practical rather than academic style, the book shows employers the practical steps they need to take before dismissing staff, how to gather evidence against employees, and how to handle the dismissal itself successfully.Lawrence Davies, the employment lawyer who won a case for unfair dismissal against the Central Intelligence Agency, said the book was "unacceptable and immoral". He added: "It undermines the employee's legitimate employment rights.

City law firms use seminars to teach employers how to play the system, but it is usually done discreetly and in private. This is the first time that it has been done overtly, which is of considerable concern."A TUC spokeswoman said: "The way to avoid unfair dismissal is to treat employees fairly in the first place." The General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) said the book was an attempt by employers to evade their responsibilities. Roger Sutton, a research officer at the GFTU, said the publication was badly timed as the Government was developing its "fairness at work" proposals. "It goes against all the current pressure on both the Government and employers to build a more constructive relationship."Mr Barnett claims his book was written simply to help employers act fairly. "Many employers can't afford legal advice, and many employees are not represented by unions; this situation prevents consultation before dismissal. Employers must be allowed to know what the law demands and behave in accordance with it rather than breaching employee rights."What the book won't do, of course, is help bosses who find themselves on the wrong end of a notice to quit.

Last week Allied Carpets sacked its managing director for his alleged involvement in an accounting scandal at the firm. National Power also decided to eject its chief executive as part of a concerted shake-up in company strategy.However, few partings of the ways will be as amicable as that of Barclays Bank and its new American chief executive, Mike O'Neill. On Mr O'Neill's first day of employment he suffered a blackout that led to the discovery of a serious heart complaint. After consultations with Barclays' doctors and Mr O'Neill's own managing director, both parties agreed to walk away without recourse to legal action.Although an unusual case, for employment lawyers it throws up a number of interesting issues, not least the question of who could have claimed what. Mr O'Neill was rumoured to have been on a pounds 10m appointment package and had a contract that included generous employee share benefits.Barclays will have to go to the expense and inconvenience of finding a replacement just four months after the shock resignation of the previous incumbent in the post, Martin Taylor.A spokesman for Barclays said there was no question of any legal action flowing from Mr O'Neill's departure.