A former LA city employee fraud investigation has revealed that an ex-traffic officer for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) is facing ethics charges for allegedly working at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) while taking paid sick leave and family medical leave from the city government.
Ethics Violations and USPS Moonlighting
According to the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, Helois Mitchell is accused of utilizing the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), sick leave, and other paid leaves on 45 separate occasions between August 2021 and May 2022, all while actively working shifts at the USPS. Mitchell worked for LADOT from October 2019 until her termination in March 2023. However, the ethics panel stated that despite having worked for the USPS since 2013, she falsely reported having no outside employment when she was hired by LADOT.
Although Mitchell belatedly reported her USPS employment in late 2021, the submission was heavily delayed, contained factual discrepancies, and lacked the necessary official approvals. Investigators found that her work schedules at the two agencies overlapped numerous times, and she allegedly misused city leave to reconcile the scheduling conflicts.
Termination and Potential Penalties
These suspicious activities came to light during the appeal process following her termination. A hearing officer determined there was credible evidence showing Mitchell falsified absence documents and explanations, misused protected leave, and fabricated claims that her supervisor ordered her to take time off. The Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System and civil service authorities ultimately upheld her firing last December.
Separately, the Ethics Commission officially filed one count of ‘misuse of city position’ against Mitchell, alleging she utilized her public office for private gain. While the commission emphasized that this finding of probable cause does not constitute a final determination of a violation, a separate hearing officer will review the case to determine legal violations and potential sanctions. If found liable, Mitchell could face a fine of up to $5,000 or three times the amount improperly received or reported, whichever is greater.
