The ex-wife of a retired Hoboken police officer says in a lawsuit filed in Hudson County Superior Court on Tuesday that she was fired from their daycare business shortly after they got divorced last year.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The two-count lawsuit filed by Kristin Pasculli, who is represented by Brian Aloia – who is also corporation counsel in the Mile Square City – noted that Hoboken Little School was formed on February 14th, 2011 and opened on June 1st of that year.
This was after serving as director of the Hoboken Children’s Academy for three years before opening Hoboken Little School, which ended up being located at 1 Newark St.
Her husband, Anthony P. Pasculli, was supportive and helped facilitate getting a loan from his father, Anthony senior, and brother, Joseph Pasculli – all of which are named as defendants.
According to the operating agreement, Kristin Pasculli was to serve as the director and start at annual salary of $51,000, with Anthony Pasculli and his two sons splitting the ownership three ways and Pasculli, Sr. serving as the registered agent.
“The Owners further benefitted from Plaintiff’s hard work and success, when in addition to receiving profit checks [of $10,000 to $15,000 monthly], the business purchases two (2) vehicles for Plaintiff and her sister-in-law Jamie Pasculli and paid for their insurance premiums,” the court filing says.
“In addition, the business paid for cell phones for the Owners, their spouses, and their children.”
The lawsuit also asserts that the business paid for Kristin and Anthony P. Pasculli’s monthly insurance costs, about $1,000 each, and also Kristin’s monthly student loan bill.
Furthermore, the court filing contends that Kristin Pasculli took responsibility for keeping the day care running smoothly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually served Anthony P. Pasculli with divorce papers on July 1st, 2022.
Two days later, his father allegedly told Kristin Pasculli that there would be “repercussions” for this action.
On October 31st, Anthony P. Pasculli called Kristen Pasculli and said she had been terminated as director of Hoboken Little School, though she claims she did not receive notice until November 7th.
“Plaintiff was terminated from her employment as of a result of filing papers papers to divorce Defendant Anthony P. Pasculli and her change in marital status (divorcing). Plaintiff’s termination was unrelated to her job performance in her position as Director of HLS,” the suit says.
She further states that her termination was a breach of contract, in violations of HLS’s operating agreement, also claiming she was a victim of marital status discrimination.
As a result, Kristin Pasculli is seeking compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees and costs of suit, punitive damages, and any other relief the court deems just and equitable.
Anthony P. Pasculli joined the police force in 1996 and earned the rank of lieutenant before retiring last year “in lieu of a 30 day suspension following a sustained violation of misuse of a law enforcement database,” according to the Hoboken PD’s 2022 police major discipline report, as HCV first reported.
Attorneys in the matter did not return inquiries or could not be reached for comment on Thursday.