The former undersheriff and HR manager sue; the city later settles for a combined $585,000

Two more of Bilal’s early senior staff sued her office. Sommer Miller, the former undersheriff and chief legal officer, said she had complained to Bilal “of possible theft in the advertising department, overspending, extreme sexual harassment by the then-chief of staff, and unauthorized expenditures from the proceeds of sheriff’s sales”; in retaliation, the suit contends, Bilal stripped her of most of her responsibilities, and she resigned. Anitra Paris, a former human resources manager, said she was terminated after refusing Bilal’s requests to hire employees without background checks or civil service tests; her suit said Bilal had also asked her to disclose employee medical information, in violation of federal law, and to provide employees’ home addresses.

A spokesperson said the office does not comment on pending litigation involving personnel matters. The city later settled the two federal whistleblower cases for a combined $585,000 — separate from the earlier settlement of former CFO Brett Mandel’s lawsuit.