June 2003: Patrick Yu is appointed as operations director by a selection panel headed by former commission chairwoman Anna Wu.
July 17: The South China Morning Post first reports Mr Yu's appointment in an interview in which he discusses his view on minority rights.
August 1: Retired Court of Appeal judge Michael Wong begins his term as EOC chairman. According to Mr Yu, Mr Wong tells him that his appointment pre-empted his own and that he [Mr Yu] would have to go.
August: Newspapers report that Mr Wong requested that the payment of his $60,000-a-month pension as a retired judge be continued along with his new $2.9 million-a-year EOC salary. The request is approved by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.
September 2: Mr Yu receives a call from an EOC officer asking whether he will remain in his job in view of differences with Mr Wong.
September 16: Mr Yu is offered two months' compensation in exchange for his resignation. He turns down the offer.
September 17: Mr Yu writes to Mr Wong demanding explanations and accusing the EOC of breaching his employment contract.