In 2013, you would think companies would have a bit more sympathy for their employees with illnesses. Unfortunately, car manufacturer Volkswagen showed no concern for one New York man suffering from HIV.

Jeffrey Villacampa & Aviva Drescher

Jeffrey Villacampa & Aviva Drescher

On Wednesday, Jeffery Villacampa held a press conference to discuss his lawsuit against his former employer, Volkswagen. Villacamp worked as a financer at a Queens, NY-based VW dealership. He says he was abruptly fired after his employer found out that he was HIV-positive. In his lawsuit, Villacamp is seeking $4 million on the basis of sexual orientation discrimination by VW and from three of their employees. Also in his lawsuit, he believes this retaliation goes against the New York Human Rights Law.

The law firm representing the defendants released a statement to ABC News, stating the defendants “are deeply grieved by Jeffrey Villacampa’s decision to file a wrongful lawsuit against them and take this meritless case into the public arena as a smear campaign.”

“While Mr. Villacampa would like the public to believe that the termination of his employment from Bayside Volkswagen was motivated by discriminatory animus based on his sexual orientation, his allegations could not be further from the truth,” the defendants’ statement read. “Evidence that will be presented during the course of this litigation will clearly establish that Bayside Volkswagen had legitimate non-discriminatory reasons for terminating Mr. Villacampa’s employment. Thus, Defendants are extremely confident that they will be able to prove that Mr. Villacampa’s claims are meritless, and look forward to being vindicated after their day in court.”

Villacampa has been living with the disease knowingly for five years. Within the 20 year span of his automotive related job experience, he states that he has had two previous employers who didn’t have a problem with him working for them. In November 2012, he joined Volkswagen as a finance manager. He says in February 2013 this is when the gay slurs and inappropriate comments started forming in the workplace. In his lawsuit, he recounts offensive conversations between the sales manager Daniel Yankov and general sales manager Angelo Alexiadis. He also pointed out Suzanne Cochrane, the general manager, as being insensitive as well after going to her to complain about the offensive chitter chatter. “Cochrane took no action and claimed that “faggot” is not offensive,” says Villacampa.

In support of Mr. Villacampa, Aviva Drescher (“The Real Housewives of New York”) came out to the press conference. A pre-trial with all the parties will take place on July 1.