StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice v. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

**What Happened** A worker sued the Louisville Metro Police Department for wrongful termination under federal civil rights laws (Section 1983). The employee claimed their firing violated their constitutional rights. However, the alleged wrongful termination occurred in April 2019, but the worker didn't file their lawsuit until November 2020 - more than a year and a half later. **What the Court Decided** The court threw out the case entirely, calling it frivolous. The judge ruled that the worker waited too long to file their lawsuit. Federal civil rights claims against government employers must be filed within one year of when the harmful action occurred. Since the employee filed their case 19 months after the alleged wrongful termination, they missed the legal deadline. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case highlights a critical rule for government workers: if you believe you were wrongfully fired or faced other civil rights violations at work, you must act quickly. You have only one year from when the incident happened to file a federal civil rights lawsuit. Missing this deadline means losing your right to sue, regardless of how strong your case might be. Workers should consult with employment attorneys promptly after workplace incidents to protect their legal rights.