A Passaic County sheriff’s deputy who works at the county jail has filed a notice that she intends to sue the department over accusations she has endured years of sexual harassment and recently had a promotion rescinded.
Nicole Staso, 41, states in a notice of tort claim, which precedes the filing of lawsuit, that she was promoted to detective in the department’s Community Release Center, but it was taken away two hours later based on false accusations about her conduct and personal life.
Staso’s legal notice filed April 25 claims she’s endured years of sexual harassment within the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, where she was hired in May 2017 to work as a correctional police officer in the jail.
“Officer Staso’s abrupt demotion came after years of being repeatedly subjected to jokes, rumors and innuendos in the workplace,” Staso’s attorney, Gina Mendola Longarzo, said in a statement. The false accusations were sexual in nature, Mendola Longarzo said.
A spokesman for Passaic County declined to comment on the notice, stating the county does not comment on pending litigation.
Before she was hired by the county, Staso served as a legislative aide to state Sen. John A. Girgenti, and has built “meaningful relationships,” with Meals on Wheels, Eva’s Village, OASIS for Women and Children, and other charitable organizations, the legal notice states.
“Despite her stellar work ethic and dedication, Officer Staso has been dogged by comments about her appearance and false rumors about her sexual activities throughout her employment,” the notice states. Her husband is a sheriff’s corporal.
Among the allegations are that Staso was told by a superior that she “was getting too pretty for work, and that it was going to get her in trouble.”
Another sheriff’s deputy is accused in the notice of spreading false rumors that Staso had given a co-worker a lap dance.
Staso claims she was suspended twice on bogus or frivolous allegations, including “seditious behavior,” and failure to report a hand injury that occurred at the firearms range.
In the notice, Staso claims she was approached by a male corrections officer who allegedly told her she “was a bad girl,” for getting suspended, and that “I think that bad girls should get spankings.”
“The aftershocks of this incident continued during her assignment to the jail,” the notice states, noting that “multiple male corrections officers began hitting on her.”
The notice states that Staso has been repeatedly passed over for commendations, promotions and assignments by male supervisors who fear pushback from the administration.
Staso has complained to Passaic County administration about her alleged treatment but no corrective action has been taken, the notice states.
The notice states that supervisors were concerned the ongoing false rumors would hurt Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Chief Thomas Adamo’s run for sheriff and that led to the promotion being rescinded.
Adamo, who is chief of the Law Enforcement Division, is running against former Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale, who is also Paterson’s police director, to fill the opening created when Sheriff Richard Berdnik died in an apparent suicide in January.
Adamo, a Democrat, and Speziale, also a Democrat, both have decades of law enforcement service in New Jersey. (Adamo was a Republican until earlier this year.)
In rescinding her promotion, a supervisor allegedly texted Staso that supervisors didn’t want the rumors derailing Adamo’s campaign.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to correct Adamo’s political affiliation.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
