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What You Need to Know about Nail Salons
Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Partners with the Nail Salon Workers Association to Educate Salon Workers About Their Rights as Part of Women's History Month
Department of Consumer and Worker Protection in collaboration with Workers United’s New York Nail Salon Workers Association (NYNSWA) and as part of Women’s History Month, assist nail salon workers in educating other nail salon workers across the city about their workplace rights. Research indicates that more than 80 percent of nail salon workers in the United States are women—and 79 percent are foreign-born—and that many often face workplace conditions that threaten their health and exploit their labor, including not being allowed to use sick leave. Teams have visit 100 nail salons in Staten Island and Queens and will be visiting retail corridors in the Bronx on Tuesday, March 12, 2019. Read full press release
Department of Consumer and Worker Protection in collaboration with Workers United’s New York Nail Salon Workers Association (NYNSWA) and as part of Women’s History Month, assist nail salon workers in educating other nail salon workers across the city about their workplace rights. Research indicates that more than 80 percent of nail salon workers in the United States are women—and 79 percent are foreign-born—and that many often face workplace conditions that threaten their health and exploit their labor, including not being allowed to use sick leave. Teams have visit 100 nail salons in Staten Island and Queens and will be visiting retail corridors in the Bronx on Tuesday, March 12, 2019. Read full press release
Nail Salon Day of Action
On Thursday, May 21, 2015, as part of the de Blasio Administration’s multifaceted advocacy efforts to address labor abuses and health risks at the city’s nail salons, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence (OCDV), Department of Small Business Services (SBS), elected officials, and hundreds of volunteers conducted the Nail Salon Day of Action. During the morning commute, more than 500 volunteers were at approximately 100 subway stations throughout the five boroughs distributing multilingual flyers to educate nail salon employees and customers about how to protect themselves and each other, including tips on safety precautions, wages, Paid Sick Leave Law, and more. DCWP Commissioner Julie Menin, MOIA Commissioner Nisha Agarwal and Council Member Rafael Espinal joined volunteers in Flushing, Queens to distribute flyers and engage commuters about their rights. During the afternoon, City employees conducted nail salon business walks and visited approximately 1,000 nail salons, distributing educational materials in multiple languages to owners/managers about their responsibilities as employers on wage, labor, and health and safety issues.
On Thursday, May 21, 2015, as part of the de Blasio Administration’s multifaceted advocacy efforts to address labor abuses and health risks at the city’s nail salons, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence (OCDV), Department of Small Business Services (SBS), elected officials, and hundreds of volunteers conducted the Nail Salon Day of Action. During the morning commute, more than 500 volunteers were at approximately 100 subway stations throughout the five boroughs distributing multilingual flyers to educate nail salon employees and customers about how to protect themselves and each other, including tips on safety precautions, wages, Paid Sick Leave Law, and more. DCWP Commissioner Julie Menin, MOIA Commissioner Nisha Agarwal and Council Member Rafael Espinal joined volunteers in Flushing, Queens to distribute flyers and engage commuters about their rights. During the afternoon, City employees conducted nail salon business walks and visited approximately 1,000 nail salons, distributing educational materials in multiple languages to owners/managers about their responsibilities as employers on wage, labor, and health and safety issues.
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Read DCWP's letters to government agencies:
Letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on Unsafe Working Conditions for Nail Salon Workers
Letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetic Products
Letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetic Products
Page updated 10/2023