A former Los Angeles Department of Transportation employee is facing a city ethics accusation after officials say she repeatedly used paid leave from her city job to cover shifts at a second government job with the U.S. Postal Service. Heloise Mitchell worked for LADOT from October 2019 until she was fired in March 2023, and investigators allege she used Family and Medical Leave Act time, sick leave, or other paid leave on 45 separate occasions between August 2021 and May 2022 while working USPS shifts instead.
According to KTLA, Mitchell had worked for the Postal Service since 2013, years before she was hired at LADOT, and the two jobs ran concurrently for most of her city tenure. Investigators said her work schedules at the two government agencies repeatedly overlapped, raising questions about how she managed to clock time at both simultaneously.
The problems reportedly started before she was even hired. KTLA's reporting states that Mitchell falsely claimed she had no outside employment when she joined LADOT in 2019, despite her ongoing Postal Service job. She eventually disclosed the USPS position in 2021, but officials said that disclosure came late, contained false information, and never received the required approvals.
Hearing Examiner Found Falsified Records
Mitchell was fired from LADOT in March 2023, and she challenged her termination. A hearing examiner reviewing her case found credible evidence that she falsified documentation and explanations for her absences, misused protected and paid leave, and falsely claimed that a supervisor had instructed her to take the leave in question, per the same KTLA account. Her firing was ultimately upheld by the city's Civil Service Commission in December 2025.
That outcome did not close the matter. The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission determined there was probable cause to believe Mitchell violated city ethics laws, and on September 30 it formally accused her of one count of misusing a city position. Notably, a finding of probable cause does not constitute a finding that a violation actually occurred, the station's report notes, meaning the case against her is still unresolved.
What Happens Next in the Ethics Case
Under the city's enforcement process, a hearing officer will now review the allegations, and the Los Angeles Ethics Commission is expected to determine whether Mitchell violated the law and what penalties, if any, should follow. The commission has said it cannot comment further while the enforcement case remains pending, according to KTLA.
The underlying rule at issue is laid out in the Los Angeles Municipal Code, which prohibits city officials and employees from misusing or attempting to misuse their positions to create a private advantage or disadvantage for any person. Per the Los Angeles Ethics Commission, once a public accusation like this one is made, the case moves through an administrative hearing process in which a hearing officer, typically an administrative law judge, conducts the hearing and makes recommendations about whether a violation occurred.
If a violation is ultimately established, Mitchell could face a financial penalty of $5,000 or three times the amount of money improperly received or reported, whichever is greater, KTLA reported. The case adds Mitchell's name to a list of city enforcement matters tied to outside-employment rules, though the specifics of her defense and the hearing timeline have not been made public.
