An exemption to a California law that let nail technicians work as independent contractors is ending at the start of the new year.
Signed into law in September 2019, AB 5 distinguishes whether workers are independent contractors or employees. In the personal-care sector, professions including hairstylists, barbers and estheticians received exemptions, but nail technicians received only a provisional exemption — set to expire Dec. 31.
What’s that mean for the nail techs working in Modesto and Stanislaus County?
Shelby Juri works at Re.treat Salon in Turlock and has been in the nail industry for nearly a decade. She said the law will do one of two things: force nail techs to start their own businesses, or allow employees to get the benefits that most nail technicians don’t currently receive, such as sick and overtime pay.
“Every nail tech will look at this differently,” Juri said. “It can be positive or negative, mostly just unfortunate for the people that are happy and content with how things are and now they have to change.”