The finance manager at a Volkswagen dealership in Queens, Jeffrey Villacampa, 43, claims that he was fired after his boss found out he was HIV-positive.
Villacampa reported in an article in the daily New York Post that he accidentally revealed his condition to supervisors on March 12. This led to his dismissal from Bayside Volkswagen where he has been working since last fall.
His boss, Angelo Alexiadis of Greek descent, reportedly told Villacampa that he had barred his own brother from entering his home and seeing his nieces and nephews after learning he had the virus. Villacampa asked him to show his brother some sympathy, which made his boss suspicious and led to the revelation of the employee’s condition.
Villacampa admitted he had contracted the virus five years ago and was quickly told to stop working with customers on credit applications.
“I was unbelievably shocked that this could happen in New York City”, the former manager said. “I really haven’t seen anything quite like it in a long time. It sounds like 1987”, his lawyer, Walker Harman Jr. of the Harman Firm stressed out.
Calls to the dealership were not returned. Alexiadis declined to comment, according to the article. Villacampa filed a lawsuit for discrimination against Alexiadis in the Manhattan Civil Court on April 3.
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