Nail Salons in CT Shutdown Due To Labor Violations

Hartford, CT (WorkersCompensation.com)-Nail salon goers were probably surprised last week when they went to get manicures, pedicures and other beauty services. The Connecticut Labor Department shut down two dozen nail salons after a string of inspections statewide. Salons located in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Hamden, Meriden, and Milford were all ordered to close.

According to an agency spokesperson, on March 6, several teams from the Department’s Wage and Workplace Standards Division inspected 39 nail salons, of which 24 were given Stop Work orders for violations that included misclassifying employees as independent contractors, not having workers’ compensation coverage, and cash payments without maintaining required payroll records.

Police accompanied some of the teams, as well as staff from the Department of Revenue. The investigation was a follow-up to an inspection that took place in 2015, when 25 salons had been checked out, and 23 of them were issued Stop work orders.  Since that last investigation, the agency was working with the salon owners to educate them on state laws and compliance, and decided to conduct this recent “sweep” of the industry to get a bigger picture of compliance issues.

In a media announcement, Todd Wydra, director of the wage and workplace standards division stated, “we have done sweeps before but not since 2015. With the General Assembly in session and the topic out there, we felt it was time to do a more comprehensive sweep and see what it produced.” He added that the department in the coming months might do another round of unplanned inspections.  Safety and health issues were not investigated during the inspections because that is the responsibility of the cities and towns where the salons are located.

“Although we recognize the importance of keeping businesses open and employees on the job, our first responsibility is to ensure that workers are being paid correctly for the jobs that they do, and proper protections are in place should they get injured while on the job,” said Labor Commissioner, Kurt Westby in a press release. “In promoting workplace compliance, we help create a level playing field so employers doing the right thing can remain competitive.”

Each of the businesses faces fines up to $300 per employee per day that any violations occurred. In a statement to WorkersCompensation.com the Communications Director for the state Department of Labor said “as an update, the agency has worked with the businesses to help them get into compliance with Connecticut labor laws, and of the 24 salons, 20 have been released from their Stop Work Orders and have been able to reopen. We continue to work with the remaining businesses to get them into compliance.”

The state of Connecticut is the only state that does not license estheticians or nail technicians. Advocates for the licenses argue that this could aid in protecting workers and reducing labor law violations.

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