Patricia Kunkle Fired for Voting for Obama: Former Q-Mark Worker Sues, President Roberta 'Bobbie' Gentile Threatened Termination during Election

Reports confirm that former Q-Mark employee Patricia Kunkle is currently suing the company and its president Roberta "Bobbie" Gentile for over $25,000 for wrongful termination. According to Kunkle's lawsuit which she recently filed in Dayton, Ohio, she was ultimately fired following the 2012 presidential election when Gentile found out that she was a Barack Obama supporter. Prior to the election, Kunkle claims that Gentile threatened all Q-Mark employees, promising that they'd be fired if they voted for Obama. According to Gentile's attorney, Kunkle was only terminated due to budget cuts.

According to Kunkle, the topic of politics came up during work one day following the 2012 presidential election in November. During the discussion, Kunkle was "ousted" as an Obama supporter. A few days later (Nov. 9), she lost her job. The lawsuit states that Gentile considered the termination was for the "best interest of the company."

Kunkle claims that prior to the election, Q-Mark owner and President Gentile threatened her employees, insisting that if they voted for Obama, when the time came they'd be the first to be fired. The lawsuit also alleges that Gentile engaged Q-Mark employees in conversations aimed at discovering their political affiliations and that she repeatedly disparaged Obama supporters.

Kunkle's attorney Karen Dunlevey recently stated, "Whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, taking it to the extreme of impairing somebody's career because they disagree with your political choices is just wrong ... We're hoping that the court will recognize that and adopt a public policy exception for her."

The Huffington Post reports that Kunkle started as a temporary worker with the small Ohio sales company back in April. She was later made a full-time employee in May, and according to the lawsuit performed her duties "efficiently and effectively. She never received any disciplinary action or negative performance evaluations.

When reached for comment, Gentile's Gentile's attorney, Brian Wildermuth stated thatKunkle's firing was "purely budgetary" (Inquisitr): "Ms. Kunkle was laid off for economic reasons - nothing more ... I am sure you and your readers are familiar with the ongoing uncertainties regarding defense spending, and thus the economic environment confronting defense contractors. The allegation that Q-Mark discharged Ms. Kunkle because of her vote is simply false."

Defense attorneys have until mid-March to respond to the lawsuit.