FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com MAY 21, 2015 • THE COURIER SUN 11 Changes to nail salon industry underway BY ALINA SURIEL AND ANGELA MATUA [email protected] @queenscourier Owners of New York City nail salons gathered on May 18 in Flushing to publicly speak for the fi rst time since recent investigations shed light on rampant abusive labor practices in the industry. Sang-Ho Lee, president of the Korean Nail Association, was joined by Congresswoman Grace Meng and Assemblyman Ron Kim to announce the creation of the “Healthy Nail Salon Network” to institute immediate fi xes and long-term solutions to alleged wage theft and unsafe working conditions. “I stand here with the owners of these mom-and-pop, communitybased stores today to use this opportunity to help this industry become better,” said Kim, himself the child of immigrant parents who once operated Manhattan nail salons. “For every turn, confrontation, or setback, there are opportunities to learn and become better at what we do.” Lee proposed actions to combat the industry’s issues, such as raising prices for manicures and creating a code of conduct for salons, as well as a state-certifi ed “good business” label to show which salons are in compliance Congresswoman Grace Meng speaks alongside Assemblyman Ron Kim and nail salon owners. with regulations. “We have a number of challenges ahead of us but thousands of immigrant workers depend on us getting this right,” said Lee, who added that the association will cooperate with state labor agencies in their ongoing investigations. The thousands of undocumented women in the nail salon industry are particularly vulnerable, often lacking English language skills and the means THE COURIER/Photo by Alina Suriel to fi nd employment. Business owners who intentionally exploit these employees exacerbate the issue by violating health codes and underpaying beauty technicians to cut costs and drive prices down. Meng said that while cooperation from nail salon employers is crucial in creating change, more should also be done by federal and state immigration and labor agencies to increase awareness of workers’ rights. “It’s important, as with any industry, not to just paint the entire industry with such a broad stroke, so that the hard-working, law-abiding owners are vilifi ed,” said Meng. As part of his continued effort to deal with the issue at a state level, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that in addition to his multi-agency task force to recover stolen wages and shut down the industry’s worst offenders, a new package of legislation and regulations will be implemented to protect workers. The legislation would allow the Department of State to shut down any nail salon that is unlicensed and impose fi nancial penalties higher than currently permitted. Unlicensed nail practitioners will be allowed to register with the state as trainees and skip high-cost education programs, which will allow them to work while studying for their licensing exam. These license exams will now be offered in three extra languages: Nepali, Tibetan and Vietnamese. In addition to reviewing the chemical agents used in nail products and requiring employers to provide workers with protective gear, all nail salons must secure a bond or insurance policy to cover business liabilities and ensure that employers can pay back wages to workers if they are ordered to do so. A new task force hotline number has been established at 888-469-7365. Great rates like ours are always in season. 24-Month CD 1.25%APY* At Flushing Bank, we’re small enough to know you and large enough to provide you with the great rates you’re looking for. Hurry, an offer like this can’t last forever. For more information and to find out about our other great offers, visit your local Flushing Bank branch, call 800.581.2889 or visit www.FlushingBank.com. $5,000 minimum deposit *New money only. APY effective April 2, 2015. Annual percentage yield assumes principal and interest remain on deposit for a full year at current rate. Minimum deposit balance of $5,000 is required. Funds cannot be transferred from an existing Flushing Bank account. Premature withdrawals may be subject to bank and IRS penalties. Rates and offer are subject to change without notice. Flushing Bank is a registered trademark
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