Help Tom Rebuild After Workplace Retaliation

My name is Tom Gunka. I’m a single father of two boys — one of them a nonverbal 5-year-old with autism and my other has adhd. I’ve been fighting for justice and for my kids’ future after losing everything due to workplace retaliation by Jennings Volkswagen in Glenview, Illinois.

How It Started

I was hired by Jennings Volkswagen in April 2022 as a mechanic earning $32.50/hour.

On June 27, 2022, while working on a car, I was badly injured and diagnosed with two herniated discs in my lower back. I was in excruciating pain, barely able to walk, and remained out of work until November 2022 under workers’ comp.

Instead of supporting me, my manager, Ado Ljubijankic, harassed me during medical leave — mocking my condition via text messages like:

“How is a simple back injury keeping you out so long?”

“This is getting ridiculous — I’ll message the workers’ comp lady to see if she can help get you back sooner.”

“You won’t be back till 2023. Haha.”

I explained that I had two herniated discs, was going to physical therapy, and awaiting an MRI. He didn’t care. He kept texting me multiple times a week, pressuring me to return early.

⚙️ Retaliation After Returning to Work

When I returned in November 2022, still in pain and with restrictions, I accepted a position in the BDC (Business Development Center) at the same $32.50/hour. I expected to return to the shop once fully cleared.

In April 2023, my doctor cleared me for full duty. I was thrilled. I gave Ado my release letter. He smirked and said,

“You’re not going back to the shop — your staying in the same position you have now for last 6 months and I’m cutting your hours and your pay to $20/hour.”

By payday, he lowered it further to $18/hour without approval. This was a 70–80% pay cut, and my hours were reduced to 20–25/week. I stayed — under duress — because I had to feed my family. And i didnt know what to do he mentioned and lied to me that my position was filled and i would have to wait till a position opens up.

Couple weeks later, two mechanics quit. I reapplied twice for my position back i was told ill be the fist one up. Both times, I was denied. Hr never helped hr never stepped in once and assisted. Eventually, Ado ordered me to remove my toolbox from the shop.

Harassment, Wage Theft, and Emotional Toll

The harassment got worse:

He turned my office lights on/off to startle me mutiple times a day. He would come upstairs and tell me why am I still here. How can I still be here at 18 n hour. My buddy Alex quit and got 45 an hour that I should of followed him etc. All documented.

He mocked and retaliated when I complained to HR — both in writing and in person. I emailed hr that I wanted Ado written up he was causes me alot of stress and I didnt feel good.

I ended up in the hospital that week with high BP, palpitations anxiety I was admitted and they ran tests on me like blood tests and they ordered a stress test and echo on my heart. I notified the manager and hr im admitted and I im going to be off from work. I. Have a doctor note and email.

After i emailed hr about Ado harassing me daily and i wanted him written up. He came back upstairs right away mad and and immediately told me he moved my parking spot half a mile away, forcing me to walk despite just returning back from an injury. He told me he will make me more miserable here and thats what he was doing. I was documenting everything and I kept on keeping a paper trail.

After he excluded me from free lunches provided to all other employees on Saturdays. He wanted to make me feel unwelcomed so he continued to do more harm to me while still bothering me with his presence and turning the lights on and off daily. I was in complete stress daily. Hr didnt do anything.

He stole wages by docking 30 minutes daily for lunch I never took. I worked through lunch and tracked it all.

They stole over 30 plus hours of pay. When I confronted them, they only paid back half and barely paid it all documented.

I emailed HR and Ado on June 20, 2023, explaining I was making just $300/week take-home while my son’s childcare was $250–$300/week. I had already lost two cars, my apartment, and had to move back with my parents. I went from earning 1450 to 1900 a week to making 150 to 300 take home a week.

I went from making 7500 a month to making less than 1200 a month. Supporting a family for 4. I couldn't afford my family my bills or anything I lost everything. I lost my roof over our heads I lost two cars I lost everything. We had to move I had to sell one car and return one car back to dealership before it got repoed. I had to move back to my parents I didnt want too but I had no choice. If it wasn't for my parents I would of been homeless.

Stolen Tools, Police Report — Then Fired

After being told to remove my toolbox, I discovered it had been broken into and many of my tools stolen. It had been left by the dumpsters, out of camera view. Ado refused to review the footage and said they were not responsible for my box even though they were it was on their property. I got injured here and I waited to heal and get my position back I was lied too all this time and manipulated.

To this day they haven't paid me for my tools. They argued with me that their deductible was 1000 and that my damage and tool theft was less so they decided not to cover anything. With my damage to my toolbox and theft it would of been over 1000.

On June 29, 2023, I emailed Ado asking to start early at 8:00 AM instead of 8:30, to make up hours. I told him I’d be filing a police report the next morning. I needed to make more money i wanted to work i wanted more hours. He replied:

“No, you’re not needed until 8:30.”

I agreed and proceeded as planned.

The next morning, June 30, I arrived around 6:40 AM. Ado pulled up and asked why I was there. I explained. After I finished filing the police report — which took over an hour — Ado called me over and fired me on the spot. Told me im stressing him out to much and im fired. He was playing victim when I was the victim and he was making my life harder here everyday as a employee.

I was stunned. I went back to the officer asked him if he still needed anything from me cause im going home and I walked to the bus stop and went home. While I left I even texted my kids mom told her I just got fired asked her if she can pick me up.

Later that morning, 30 min later Ado emailed me pretending nothing happened, asking why I wasn’t at my post — without CC’ing HR as he usually did. I responded, included HR — but no one replied. I called him back twice once on his cell phone even and I emailed him and cc hr. No one got back to me. I filed for unemployment the

next day. In unemployment he told them he emailed me called me and didnt email me back or call me back cause one I called his cell and he told me not to call his phone but this should been a emergency and he could of called me back of his work phone which I called also. And he didnt email me back. Cause he didnt know how to respond since I ccd hr also.

⚖️ The Lies Continue

Weeks later, Jennings claimed I wasn’t fired. They sent a third-party manager, Mark Rolla, from Jennings Chevrolet — a company I never worked for — who claimed I didn’t “look upset enough” and that I “drove away after circulating my car couple times” (even though I took the train and bus).

They lied to IDES and said I requested to start at 8 AM after the police report — when I had emailed the day before. They falsely claimed I “walked off the job.” They lied under oath and fought my unemployment for two years. Ado said after he told me no and I was not needed at 830 I got mad and got in my car and drove off never coming back. A lie I got email from day before and I got a Metra train ticket I took the train that day and day before.

EEOC, Settlement, and Retaliation

I filed with the EEOC and IDHR. Jennings’ lawyer, Jason Santos, contacted me and pressured me to settle privately. I signed the agreement under duress, unaware they would continue retaliating, lie and mislead the courts still.

Since then, they have:

Joined a false state brief in Circuit Court

Used a private, confidential email I sent to Santos — twisting it to portray me as “threatening and aggressive" before my hearing.

Misrepresented the employer in the agreement (listing Jennings Chevrolet) as if didnt notice at all right away.

Violated the agreement by continuing to attack me — even though unemployment was excluded from that settlement

In my email to Santos, I told him I felt what he was doing was unethical and that I might report him to the ARDC. It was not a threat — it was my attempt to speak up. Instead, he used it in court to defame me again.

Santos and Jennings continued retaliating through 2025, twisting facts, lying in court, and causing more harm — after settlement.

That was the last straw. I wanted them to be held accountable for everything they did to me they tried to silence me after they talked me into a bad faith agreement then continued to retaliate against me even more in court afterwards for unemployment.

️ The Lawsuit

On June 30, 2025, I filed a civil lawsuit — Case #2025L008196 — against Jennings Volkswagen, and a motion to invalidate the private agreement which is invalid on its face cause they listed wrong dealership another wrong entity a different employee too and they breached it by continuedretaliationand using private confidential communication before the judge to sabotage my unemployment claim. I have over 300 pages of evidence I did this myself pro se. I couldn't find a lawyer in time and it was my last day 2 year of statue of limitation to file it so I did in hope ill find a lawyer afterwards to represent me.

✅ Texts

✅ Emails

✅ Court briefs

✅ Police report

✅ Pay stubs

✅ Screenshots

✅ Court transcripts and ALJ’s hearing testimony

Now, Santos Jennings attorney is threatening me, saying I have “no grounds” and will owe attorney fees. Which he's wrong he wrote of a bad faith private agreement used it to silence and force me to dismiss my claims against the employer. Listed the wrong employer made me dismiss my claim against wrong employer and continued to retaliate against me and tried to sabotage my unemployment claim by using a private email in front of the judge. He also referenced to me as someone else and banned me from also working at a different place not affiliated with me. He didnt double check his agreement and it was part of another agreement with another client of his.

I’ve re-contacted the EEOC and I’m in the process of getting a Right to Sue Letter for continued retaliation and for being talked into dismissal with bad faith on them.

I’ve also had potential employers back off after contacting Jennings for references. I believe they’ve been defaming me and preventing me from being hired. I had alot of interest with my work experience with dealerships offering even 40 45 an hour. No one actually called me back after they showed interest. And when I called them they just told me sorry they already hired someone else.

Why I Need Your Help

For 3 years, I’ve been fighting alone — researching laws, writing motions, defending myself in court — while raising two kids, taking care of them, applying for jobs, being stressed and finding a lawyer.

I’ve been to the hospital twice for stress-related conditions — once before being fired, and again in 2025 before a major hearing. The emotional toll is unbearable.

I’ve contacted dozens of attorneys. None of the ones I contacted will take the case on contingency. I can’t afford thousands in legal fees. I either need help finding a good lawyer that will take it on contingency or I need help retaining one.

My next hearing is in 2 weeks (motion to invalidate), and my civil complaint proceeds in September.

What Your Support Will Help With

Hiring a professional employment and retaliation attorney.

Covering legal costs and court fees.

Supporting special care for my children

Helping me rebuild my life and stand up for what’s right.

Please Help Me Stand Up for Justice Im a good person no one deserves to be treated like heo they treated me after being injured at their dealership.

Even $1–$5 helps more than you know. Sharing this story is powerful. Exposure will help me find a lawyer before it’s too late. I might have to continue my next hearing if Im gonna be able to hire an attorney.

I have the truth, the evidence, and the courage to keep going — but I can’t do it alone anymore they broke me down over the years. I need help in the courtroom im not experienced in that field. Please help me.

Thank you for standing with me.

Tom Gunka

#IWontBeSilencedNoMore

#WorkersRights

#JusticeforTomGunka

#WrongfulTermination

#Retaliation

#ConstructiveDischarge

#JenningsVolkswagen