Sterling

BACKGROUND FACTS AND PROCEDURE

The County first hired Sterling to work as a building inspector in 1999. She performed commercial electrical inspections for the County until 2004, when she voluntarily left for a different job. At the time of her separation, Sterling was classified as a Building Inspector-2, range B (or BI-2B), paid at “step 9” of the salary schedule. In 2015, Sterling sought to be rehired by the County after she moved back to Sacramento. The County had an opening for a BI-2, range A (or BI-2A) in the Building Permits and Inspection (BPI) division of the Department of Community Development

2 (the Department).1 Russ Williams (Williams), a principal building inspector (section manager) who remembered Sterling from her previous term with the County, encouraged her to apply and recommended her to the director of the Department. Sterling interviewed with a three-person panel consisting of supervisors Bob Ivie (Ivie) and Shawn Rodgers (Rodgers) and principal building inspector Chuck Iniguez (Iniguez). Sterling scored well, receiving the second highest score of the four applicants. Sterling then had a second interview with Brian Washko (Washko), the chief building…