Unable to filter tableview created using array of dictionary

Question

I am new to swift and Xcode and I have been progressing along with an app that has tableview (of employees with first name space last name) created using a plist dictionary used as NSarray. I am trying to add a search feature.

Here is my code:

var employeeSearch = Array>()

let searchController = UISearchController(searchResultsController: nil)

func getSwiftArrayFromPlist() -> (Array<Dictionary<String,String>>) {

    let path = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "Sheet1", ofType: "plist")
    var arr: NSArray?
    arr = NSArray(contentsOfFile: path!)
    return (arr as? Array<Dictionary<String,String>>)!
}


func searchBarIsEmpty() -> Bool {
    // Returns true if the text is empty or nil
    return searchController.searchBar.text?.isEmpty ?? true
}

// no errors in above function

// I am getting a number of errors in the function below

func searchBar(searchBar: UISearchBar, textDidChange searchText: String) {
    employeeSearch = getSwiftArrayFromPlist().filter { $0["lastname".lowercased().contains(searchText.lowercased()]}
    print(employeeSearch)
    searchActive = !employeeSearch.isEmpty
    tblData.reloadData()
}
//getting many errors in above attempt to get a filtered array of dictionary to reload data in tableview 

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

//Mar 1 - Finally this worked, but only equals condition was going without errors. My expectation was to have contains feature.. func searchBar(_ searchBar: UISearchBar, textDidChange searchText: String) {

    if searchBar.text == nil || searchBar.text == "" {
        isSearching = false
        view.endEditing(true)
        employee1View.reloadData()
    } else {
        isSearching = true
        employeeSearch = getSwiftArrayFromPlist()

        currentEmployeeSearch = employeeSearch.filter {($0["lastname"]?.lowercased() == searchText.lowercased())}
        //currentEmployeeSearch = employeeSearch.filter {($0["lastname"]?.lowercased().contains(searchText.lowercased())}
        employee1View.reloadData()
    }
}

// *****************************************

Answer 1

Steve's solution worked. Thank you very much! //********************** func searchBar(_ searchBar: UISearchBar, textDidChange searchText: String) {

    if searchBar.text == nil || searchBar.text == "" {
        isSearching = false
        view.endEditing(true)
        employee1View.reloadData()
    } else {
        isSearching = true
        employeeSearch = getSwiftArrayFromPlist()

        //currentEmployeeSearch = employeeSearch.filter {($0["lastname"]?.lowercased() == searchText.lowercased())}
        currentEmployeeSearch = employeeSearch.filter {($0["lastname"]?.lowercased().contains(searchText.lowercased())) ?? false}
        employee1View.reloadData()
    }
}