Philip Yip v. Union Cty College

**What Happened** Philip Yip, a former employee at Union County College, sued the school claiming he faced discrimination and was wrongfully fired. He filed federal civil rights claims and state law claims against his former employer, seeking compensation for what he believed was unfair treatment. **What the Court Decided** The appellate court ruled against Yip and sided with Union County College. The court found two major problems with his case: First, he waited too long to file his federal discrimination claims - he had only two years to file but missed that deadline. Second, his state law claims failed because he didn't properly notify the government entity (the college) of his intent to sue, as required by New Jersey law when suing public employers. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case highlights two critical deadlines that workers must follow when suing employers. For federal discrimination claims, employees typically have limited time to file - often just two years. When suing government employers like public colleges, workers must also follow special notification rules that private employers don't have. Missing these deadlines can destroy an otherwise valid case, so workers should consult with employment attorneys quickly after experiencing workplace problems.