Nail Salon Owners Challenge California’s AB 5 Law

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A group of Vietnamese American nail salon owners and manicurists are taking legal action against the state of California over its AB 5 law. The lawsuit, filed in the Central District of California, names Governor Gavin Newsom and several state labor and licensing officials as defendants.

The plaintiffs argue that California’s worker-classification scheme unfairly categorizes nail technicians as employees, while allowing other beauty professionals to maintain their independent contractor status. This designation change could drastically alter their working conditions and earnings.

Among the plaintiffs are businesses such as Happy Nails and Holly & Hudson. They claim that the law infringes upon their rights and places an unnecessary burden on small nail salons that are primarily owned by Vietnamese Americans.

“This law treats nail techs differently from other professionals in the beauty industry, which we believe is unjust,” said one representative of the group. “The result is economic harm to our communities.”

The suit seeks to have AB 5 declared unconstitutional and aims to restore the independent contractor status for nail technicians across California.

As the case unfolds, it could impact thousands of nail salons and their workers in the state, sparking broader discussions about worker rights in the gig economy.