I have heard of some pretty ridiculous things our government employees do to waste taxpayers' money and this is one of those that hit home. A family in Connecticut is being investigated for allegedly violating child labor laws because their children help out on weekends in their family pizzeria.
The children are all under the state's legal age for employment of fourteen, and apparently the Dept. of labor was sent there on an anonymous tip. Mind you, this is a family owned restaurant that has been in the community for fifty five years, each generation learning from the last. A family, passing on a culture and a trade to the next generation on weekends or after school.
I can't believe, after the investigator visited the restaurant that a report was even filed. After seeing it for what it was, a family teaching their children how the business works and spending that ever important "quality time together" doing it, the case should have been closed right then and there.
What is good to hear is that the family is fighting back, as well they should. Whoever tipped off the Dept. of Labor should be ashamed of themselves. As far as I'm concerned every family business should have their children helping out part time, the earlier the better. The pride a child feels from a job well done is something that will benefit them their entire lives. Not to mention, may also keep them off the streets and away from trouble as teenagers.
6 comments:
I hate that our society allows a stranger in to a family to decide what they are doing is "okay". It's scary how much power a complete stranger has!! We had this happen to us once, when a stranger (next door neighbors relative) came into my yard to see why my kid was crying--next thing I know, I had the police at my door. Nice, eh?? It was scary to think that that "well-meaning" jerk could have destroyed a family for what she "perceived" was going on.
I hope they win and sue the pants off the investigators and the person who filed the complaint.
@Lin: What's worse is once your in the "system" I worry these agencies would always be checking in and looking for problems.
What about the kids on farms? Hello, What better place to learn about how to work than from your family. Plus you can keep track of your kids and make sure they aren't spending time with questionable people.
You're absolutely right. Work never hurt anyone and those kids will be better off later knowing what work feels like and how accomplished they are for doing so at an early age.
@Olga: I know, that's the 1st thing I thought of. Children work on the family farm everywhere. I don't think anyone polices that.
@Kathy: I agree, work is not a four letter word!
I am not surprised, sadly. There is a Chinese restaurant a mile away where the kids work, and no one thinks anything of it.
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