Perez v. City of Aurora

**What Happened** Francisco Perez worked for the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky and filed a lawsuit against the City of Aurora, claiming he faced discrimination, retaliation, and harassment that created a hostile work environment. He alleged these problems violated federal civil rights laws that protect workers from unfair treatment based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or religion. **What the Court Decided** The court threw out Perez's case before it even got started. The judge found that Perez had waited too long to file his complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is a required first step before suing in federal court. Federal law requires workers to file their EEOC complaint within 300 days of when the discrimination happened, and Perez missed this deadline. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case highlights a crucial rule that all workers need to know: if you believe you're facing workplace discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, you must act quickly. You have only 300 days to file a complaint with the EEOC, and missing this deadline can prevent you from pursuing your case in court entirely, regardless of how strong your claims might be. Time limits are strictly enforced.