Pizzeria pounds CT child-labor law

Hartford Business ^ | 5-26-10 | Gregory Seay

[mlizzy]

Michael Nuzzo and his two older brothers learned from their father, Fred, the intracacies -- and hard work -- involved in making Italian pies at the New Haven pizzeria he started in 1955.

All three eventually started their own restaurants. Today, a third generation of Nuzzos, Michael's three children -- ages 13, 11 and 8 -- for years have spent Friday nights and Saturdays learning the business at their father's Grand Apizza restaurant in Clinton. That is until two weeks ago, when a Connecticut Labor Department investigator -- apparently acting on an anonymous tip -- showed up May 12 at the pizzeria and ordered the Nuzzo kids to stop.

Michael and Migdalia Nuzzo are suing the agency in New Haven federal court, alleging the state's broad application of its child labor laws violates their civil rights.

"My kids don't work. They help out,'' Michael Nuzzo said Wednesday from his restaurant. "I just want them to leave my family alone. It's tradition. We were raised on good family values and family tradition.''

A state labor department spokesman said Wednesday the case has been referred to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who handles suits filed against state agencies.

In a statement Wednesday, Blumenthal said no enforcement action has been taken against the Nuzzos and promised a careful review of the allegations and facts in the case. Michael Nuzzo, who moved his pizzeria to Clinton in 2001 after eight years in nearby Madison, says the rights of other family enterprises to share their businesses with their offspring are also at stake.

"Fathers take their kids out to help in the landscaping business,'' is but one example, Nuzzo said.

The Nuzzo's attorney and regular customer, Raymond Rigat of Clinton, says their suit may have exposed a gap in Connecticut's child-labor regulations as they apply to family businesses.

Most states, Rigat said, have exemptions that allow family members to perform certain tasks in a business without running afoul of labor guidelines.

The open question, he said, is why Connecticut has chosen to take a stand now against this particular family business.

"It's bureaucracy,'' Rigat said. "Somebody came out from the state and said, ‘Hey, you can't have your kids here.'"

Grand Apizza in Clinton is not affiliated with the New Haven pizzeria of the same name that Fred Nuzzo opened in 1955, but later sold. But the one in Cheshire is owned by Michael Nuzzo's brother.

[mlizzy]

Saint Anthony the Abbot, the patron saint of pizza makers, pray for US!

[rawhide]

All a sudden I want a pizza after seeing that photo! Yum-yum!

[mlizzy]

All a sudden I want a pizza after seeing that photo! Yum-yum!

*smiles* Me too!

[Rennes Templar]

Sate bureaucracy, get your butts out of our lives!

[DemforBush]

hen a Connecticut Labor Department investigator -- apparently acting on an anonymous tip -- showed up May 12 at the pizzeria and ordered the Nuzzo kids to stop.

Wanna bet the tipster is either A) a competitor; Or B) a disgruntled customer or former employee?

[MichiganConservative]

"I just want them to leave my family alone. It's tradition. We were raised on good family values and family tradition."

That won't be happening here. We have a professional nanny class running things. Lots of people on Free Republic support them as they don't understand how socialist they are, themselves.

[NoKoolAidforMe]

Smells politically motivated to me.

[handmade]

I’m not surprised but still the phrase “words fail me” apply here. For so many reasons. Now if the kids were out on the street getting into gangs and all that can imply, it would be fine dontcha know.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

-- apparently acting on an anonymous tip --

Effin busybodies.

Let's not get the facts...just drop a dime.

[mlizzy]

...get your butts out of our lives!

Exactly!

[bunkerhill7]

My family`s 3 NY Italian restaurants and vegetable farm had all of us 13 kids helping out since we were 6-7 years old to later managing and ownership. NY State never bothered the families. It is a precedent tradition of family businesses.

[T-Bird45]

FTA: Most states, Rigat said, have exemptions that allow family members to perform certain tasks in a business without running afoul of labor guidelines.

The primary exception to this rule has to do with the operation of hazardous machines. Potential candidates in a pizza joint: mixer, slicer, sheeter. Kid jobs: bus tables, wash dishes, take out garbage.

[massgopguy]

“Italians are famous for two things. Spaghetti and Revenge”. - Archie Bunker

[mlizzy]

RELATED: HICKS: Rights of a Child is Parental Issue

[Graybeard58]

In a statement Wednesday, Blumenthal said no enforcement action has been taken against the Nuzzos and promised a careful review of the allegations and facts in the case.

How can one believe anything Blumenthal says?

[Reeses]

Pepperoni pizza is specially protected from being eaten by most H-1B, Muslim, and vegetarian coworkers.

[fredhead]

I was raised in NC.....for 7 summers, from age 12 to 18, I worked 10 hour days (sometimes 11) for a farmer on his tobacco farm. I picked tobacco, topped tobacco, put tobacco in the curing barns, took it out of the barns, drove tractors, and after I got my license, took his truck to pick up the other kids who worked for him.

Taught me about hard work. Also taught me that I did NOT want to be a tobacco farmer. I joined the Navy instead.

[vpintheak]

Piss off government. Piss off!