Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Lawmakers are taking action to curb abuses of nail salon workers following a recent New York Times series entitled “The Price of Nice Nails,” which documented the exploitation of workers across the region, including at salons on Long Island.

On Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the launch of multi-agency enforcement task force that he says will go to work immediately to prevent unlawful practices and unsafe working conditions in the nail salon industry.

“We will not stand idly by as workers are deprived of their hard-earned wages and robbed of their most basic rights,” Cuomo said in a statement. “This task force will crack down on these kinds of abuses in the nail salon industry, enforce all of New York’s health and safety regulations, and help ensure that no one – regardless of their citizenship status or what language they speak – is illegally victimized by their employer.”

The New York Times exposé details how many nail salon employees face routine ethnic bias and other abuse, along with being grossly underpaid. The Times refers to three Long Island salons in its series– Bee Nails in Hicksville, Relaxing Town Nails and Spa in Huntington Station and an unnamed salon in East Northport. In a lawsuit, workers at the East Nortport salon claimed they were paid $1.50 an hour during a 66-hour work week, the TImes reported.

Agencies involved with the new state task force will, according to Cuomo, ”work together to implement new health and safety regulations for nail salon employees and engage in new enforcement actions to recover unpaid wages, issue fines and penalties for violations of all relevant laws and regulations, assess damages and evaluate whether to revoke the license of violators.”

Long Island Rep. Kathleen Rice has sent a letter to Dr. David Michaels, the assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), pushing for reformed health standards for nail salon workers nationwide. In the letter, Rice refers to research and news reports that “link prolonged exposure to nail salon chemicals to cancer, severe respiratory diseases, and debilitating skin disorders.”

“It’s absolutely appalling that workers in any industry could be forced to suffer such conditions in 21st century America,” Rice said in a statement.

The state task force is strongly urging any worker who has not been paid the proper wages, or anyone concerned about safety, working conditions or other abuses at nail salons to contact the task force at 1-888-469-7365.

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

GOOD!

Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

I have no problem with prices going up for a mani/pedi. However this crackdown will close a lot of salons. One of the reasons they stay open IMHO is because of the slave labor they get.

Don't be surprised if you see prices go up and salons close.

To be clear: I am FOR this change. Just pointing out what is going to happen as a result.

Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

This is excellent, indeed!

I have been wondering what I should do as I like to get pedicures. I always tip well because I suspected that they lived in group housing and were paid badly, but this bad?

I am definitely be willing to pay more.

Message edited 5/11/2015 2:10:07 PM.

Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

One of the salons in my town they came today and by this afternoon doors were locked.

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

I'm dying to know which one is in East Northport because mine is in that town!

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Message edited 5/11/2015 5:06:43 PM.

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

So awful!~

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Posted by Tah-wee-ZAH

Posted by Eunyboo

I'm dying to know which one is in East Northport because mine is in that town!

Me too.

Up next... the foot reflexology places... um, yeah... there is no way there are just "foot massages" going down

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

i always have a van outside my nail salon...now i know why. guess my place will eventually close.

i also notice the sushi place by me has a van that drops all the workers off every day, i wonder if it is a similar situation????

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

my place just opened a 2nd place and they also get vanNed in. I worry about the women though yes that is horrible that they are slave labor, not saying that it's right, but what happens to them after the salon closes. At least for 12 hours they have some place to go and a place to sleep at nighT. Without friends or family are they going to be homeless. Not like they have the means to get back to their country or that they even want to.

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Oh he's such a hero.
Does he have any further plans for what is going to happen when all of these salons are forced to shut down and these women have NOTHING?
My guess is no. So completely short sighted.

NOT to say this should be allowed to continue, but you can't just storm in and 'handle' 1 piece of a puzzle that has about 400 pieces to it !!

Re: Cuomo Orders Crack Down on Abuse of Nail Salon Workers 'Robbed of Their Most Basic Rights'

Message edited 5/13/2015 12:44:59 PM.