McKay, Michael v. Wisconsin Department of Revenue

**Worker Files Lawsuit But Case Dismissed Over Unpaid Court Fees** Michael McKay, who was representing himself while in prison, filed an employment lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (though the case also mentions New York State as an employer). The specific details of his workplace dispute were not provided in the court records. The court dismissed McKay's case because he failed to meet basic filing requirements. When someone files a lawsuit, they must either pay a $400 court filing fee or, if they cannot afford it, submit special paperwork showing they qualify for a fee waiver. The court gave McKay thirty days to either pay the fee or complete the proper prisoner authorization forms to proceed without paying. When he failed to do either within the deadline, the judge dismissed his entire case. **What This Means for Workers:** This case highlights an important procedural hurdle that can block workers from pursuing legitimate workplace claims in federal court. Even if you have a valid employment dispute, you must follow court rules and deadlines exactly, or your case can be thrown out before a judge ever considers the actual workplace issues. Workers who cannot afford filing fees should immediately request fee waiver forms when filing any lawsuit.