Resigned ONA Director Tarlan Ahmadov Reinstated at MDOL Despite Claim of ‘Personal Health’ Issues

Tarlan Ahmadov stepped down as director of the Maine Office of New Americans in early April — just three months after his appointment to the position by Governor Janet Mills — officially citing health concerns, following scrutiny over his anti-Armenian social media activity and ties to Azerbaijan uncovered by The Maine Wire.

However, sources reveal that the divisive Ahmadov has quietly returned to his prior role at the Maine Department of Labor, casting doubt on the stated reasons for his resignation that have now been repeated by top officials within the Mills administration.

Ahmadov resigned from his position of director of the Maine Office of New Americans (ONA) on Tuesday, April 2, citing “personal health reasons.”

“After careful consideration and due to personal health reasons, I have decided to step down from my role as director of the Office of New Americans,” Ahmadov wrote in his resignation letter. “I wish the office well as it continues its important work.”

Ahmadov began facing calls for his resignation after The Maine Wire reported on his history of anti-Armenian bias and rhetoric on social media and questionable foreign ties, including his facilitation of a trip to Azerbaijan funded by the Azeri government last summer alongside state lawmakers Rep. Deqa Dhalac (D-South Portland), Rep. Mana Abdi (D-Lewiston) and Sen. Jill Duson (D-Cumberland).

Hannah Pingree, director of Governor Janet Mills’ Office of Policy Innovation and the Future (GOPIF), which oversees the ONA, repeated the claim that Ahmadov had stepped down due to health reasons at the first meeting of the ONA’s advisory council on Monday.

“As we get going, I want to thank Tarlan Ahmadov, who many of you know had to recently step down as the director of the Office of New Americans for medical reasons,” Pingree said during her opening remarks at Monday’s meeting.

“Tarlan met with many of you over the course of the last several months, and contributed a great deal to our planning work,” Pingree added. “He is no longer with the office, but we are grateful for his contributions.”

However, despite Ahmadov’s claim of resigning from the office for health reasons — now being repeated by Mills administration officials — multiple sources have independently confirmed to The Maine Wire that Ahmadov has been rehired to his previous role as the Director of the Division of Programs at the Bureau of Employment Services within the Maine Department of Labor (DOL).

One source familiar with the matter told The Maine Wire that Ahmadov would be working at the 45 Commerce Drive state office building in Augusta in his role with the Maine DOL as soon as next week.

A text of an email welcoming Ahmadov back to his former position at the Maine DOL obtained by The Maine Wire states:

The BES [Bureau of Employment Services] Director’s team is excited to welcome back Tarlan as Division Director of Programs this coming Tuesday.

Here’s what we plan to be each Director’s responsibility, from now-ish until October.

Tarlan- RESEA [Re-Employment Services and Eligibility & Assessment], QUEST [Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy and Training], JVSG [Jobs for Veterans State Grants], progressive employment, peer workforce navigator contract. 

He’ll also be our interdepartmental lead for work coordinated with DHHS including with refugee services (REDACTED] was doing that formerly).  While [REDACTED] is out, he’ll also oversee CSSP [Competitive Skills Scholarship Program] and the Healthcare Tuition.

Ahmadov previously worked in the same position overseeing employment programs with the Maine DOL since 2022. Prior to entering state government, Ahmadov headed up the Office of Maine Refugee Services for Catholic Charities Maine.

Ahmadov now serving as the Maine DOL’s “interdepartmental lead” for coordination with the Maine DHHS on refugee services suggests that his departure from the state migrant resettlement office is more symbolic than substantive, as it appears he will continue doing work for the state government relating to the migrant services.

State Controller employee wage and benefit data shows that in 2024, Ahmadov earned taxpayer-funded regular wages of $103,672 — not including medical and retirement benefits — up from $93,184 in 2023, and $35,840 in 2022.

The Maine Wire contacted a spokesperson for the Maine DOL for confirmation of Ahmadov’s reinstatement, and has submitted a request under Maine’s Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) to GOPIF for his resignation letter.