New York passes groundbreaking nail salon legislation to protect rights and safety of workers, consumers
June 19, 2015
Today, the New York State Assembly passed legislation A. 7630A/ S. 05966 to protect the rights and safety of nail salon workers and consumers. The bill, previously passed by the New York State Senate and sponsored by Assemblyman Ron Kim and Senators Brad Hoylman and Adriano Espaillat, is expected to be signed swiftly into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“This critical legislation removes barriers to obtaining licenses for thousands of nail salon workers in New York, many of whom are Asian American immigrant women,” said National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum Executive Director Miriam Yeung. “This bill improves safety, helps protect workers who experience wage theft and ensures fair working conditions. The prior lack of licensing has kept many workers in the shadows and driven down labor standards.”
New York’s newly passed legislation creates a path to full licensure for nail salon workers who have been locked out of licensing due to barriers related to training and licensing exam language access and cost. Unlicensed workers can now register as trainees and work legally while they apprentice with a licensed worker and complete a set of training requirements on their way to becoming fully licensed nail technicians. Additionally, new training curriculum focused on infection control and bacteriology will increase health protections for both nail salon workers and consumers.
“We thank Gov. Cuomo and our New York legislators for seizing this opportunity to make nail salons safer for both workers and consumers,” said Yeung. “And we urge states across the country to follow this example and take similar action.”
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The National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) is the only multi-issue, progressive, community organizing, and policy advocacy organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander women and girls in the U.S. NAPAWF’s mission is to build a movement to advance social justice and human rights for Asian & Pacific Islander (API) women and girls.
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