Former Cheverly deputy town administrator sues Town, alleging retaliation

Complaint says the Town of Cheverly fired Farana-Jahan Abdul three days after her written complaints about harassment and the lack of a reporting system.

CHEVERLY, MD, UNITED STATES, October 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Justly Prudent filed a lawsuit today in the Circuit Court for Prince George's County on behalf of Farana-Jahan Abdul, the former Deputy Town Administrator of the Town of Cheverly, Maryland. The complaint states that the Town fired Abdul in August 2025 in retaliation for reporting sexual harassment in the Town's workplace. The complaint asserts one claim under the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act and requests a jury trial.

According to the complaint, Abdul joined the Town in April 2025 after more than 20 years with the Prince George's County Police Department, retiring as a sergeant. Her executive-level position included responsibility for human resource management. The complaint states that in July 2025 her annual salary was raised by approximately 20%, that she was told Town staff and the Mayor and Council had "nothing but praise" for her, and that the Town never counseled, warned, reprimanded, or disciplined her.

The complaint states that on July 25, 2025, Abdul attended a female employee's annual performance evaluation, during which the senior Town official conducting the evaluation told the employee, "you know I love you," and then added that he loved her "like a sister." According to the complaint, the official also said the employee could call him "even if it's 3 a.m." and that he would "come locked and ready." The complaint states that the employee later told Abdul the official's conduct had been going on for a long time and that she wanted it to stop, and described after-work invitations, sharing her phone's location with the official, and feeling pressured to babysit his daughter.

According to the complaint, Abdul reported the conduct in late July 2025 to senior Town police officials, one of whom told her not to contact the Mayor or other elected officials. On July 29, 2025, she reported it to a member of the Town Council and to an attorney for the Town.

The complaint states that the Mayor and Council met in closed session on July 31, 2025, and that the Town's written summary of that session records that the Council was advised on "the current and future status of a specific employee." The complaint contends that Abdul was that employee. Over the following weeks, according to the complaint, planned accounting training for Abdul was cancelled, her bill-approval and other duties were reassigned, and she lost access to many shared files, most Town emails, and her administrative rights in the payroll system. The complaint quotes the Town as describing those changes as "necessary transition steps or precautions in light of her imminent dismissal."

The complaint states that, on August 19, 2025, Abdul sent a letter to Town officials giving "formal notice" that the Town had no workplace harassment reporting system or training materials, and asking that human resources matters be investigated "without interference or retaliation." The Mayor and Council met in closed session the next day. On August 22, 2025, the Town terminated Abdul's employment, effective immediately.

According to the complaint, the termination letter stated that the Mayor and Council had determined Abdul was "not a suitable fit" for the position because of "insensitive and unprofessional remarks" and dishonesty. The complaint states that the letter did not identify any specific remark, statement, or person, and did not mention Abdul's reports.

The complaint also cites a position statement the Town submitted to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on March 10, 2026. According to the complaint, the Town stated in that filing that Abdul's termination "resulted from" an investigation of the allegations she had reported, and asserted that she had described the official's comments "with a strong sexual context that did not exist." In the same filing, according to the complaint, the Town acknowledged that the official invited employees out for drinks and to the gym, that the employee's phone location had been shared with him, and that the employee "did feel pressured to agree to babysit." The complaint further states that the position statement cited a ground for the termination, "general insubordination," that the termination letter did not mention.

The Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who oppose practices the Act forbids, including harassment based on sex. As the complaint notes, the Act defines harassment to include unwelcome and offensive conduct that need not be severe or pervasive.

The complaint states that Abdul was unemployed from August 22, 2025 to November 14, 2025, and has since worked in a state government position with less than half of her former salary. She seeks more than $75,000 in back pay, front pay, and compensatory damages, along with attorney's fees and removal of the termination letter from her personnel file. Abdul filed a charge with the EEOC in January 2026, and the agency issued a Determination and Notice of Rights in July 2026. The Town has not yet responded to the complaint in court.

"Ms. Abdul did what any responsible leader should do. She listened to an employee who wanted the behavior to stop, and she reported it," said Jordan D. Howlette, Managing Attorney of Justly Prudent. "Maryland law protects employees who speak up about harassment in the workplace," said Jordan D. Howlette, Managing Attorney of Justly Prudent. "The complaint lays out what happened after Abdul made her report, and we look forward to presenting her case to a jury."

The case is Farana-Jahan Abdul v. Town of Cheverly, Maryland (Case No. C-16-CV-26-006164), filed in the Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Maryland.

Justly Prudent is a general civil litigation and business law firm that provides comprehensive legal services across multiple practice areas, with particular aptitude in civil rights and constitutional tort litigation. While serving clients in matters ranging from complex commercial disputes to employment law, the firm maintains a steadfast commitment to advancing civil rights through impactful litigation against government misconduct and systemic constitutional violations. To learn more, visit Justly Prudent's website at www.justlyprudent.com or call the main office at (202) 921-6080.

Lars Kroner
Justly Prudent
+1 202-921-6080
press@justlyprudent.com
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