Editor's Note: The views and opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of NAILS. Our goal is to provide a platform for industry discussions on topics that impact beauty professionals. We encourage open dialogue and invite readers to explore multiple perspectives on this issue.

The Professional Beauty Federation (PBF) wants manicurists, beauty professionals, and salon owners to be aware of the latest policy fight in California. As PBF followers and Modern Salon/Nails readers may know, manicurists in California recently lost their legal right to operate as independent beauty professionals in salons and spas.

While PBF successfully lobbied in 2019 for our industry’s exemption from the infamous "AB 5" law—which essentially outlawed independent contractor relationships throughout California—the author of that bill inserted a sunset date only for nail techs. This meant they were destined to lose their exemption. As a result, the sunsetting of manicurists’ rights to booth rent went into effect this past January.

What’s the Latest?

The Professional Beauty Federation has been fighting in the policy trenches to defend nail techs and ensure equitable treatment for all hard-working professionals across every segment of beauty and barbering.

While we successfully extended the sunset for manicurists a few years back, and despite a series of Republican-authored bills (including another just introduced), these efforts failed to extend that sunset last legislative session. However, our recent conversations with California stakeholders and legislative leaders from the majority party in both legislative houses have been productive, giving us hope that our efforts will pay off this year.

PBF is continuing behind-the-scenes negotiations with key players inside and outside the State Capitol. Our long-standing relationship with key labor unions has been particularly important in these discussions, given their original sponsorship of AB 5 and ongoing defense of it.

So, stay tuned for some legislative action that should prove more meaningful than another minority-party bill that won’t even receive a policy committee hearing.

It’s Time to Return Equity and Sanity to Salon Industry Laws

Just picture the current situation:

✅ California law now allows an independent (booth rental) cosmetologist to perform nail services in a salon…
❌ But a licensed manicurist working in that same salon cannot—at least not as an independent operator.

The only way a licensed manicurist can work in a salon under current law is as a W-2 employee of the establishment.

How Did We Get Here?

California legislators were convinced that violations of labor laws were rampant in this sector of the beauty industry. As a result, Sacramento policymakers believed that hardworking manicurists were the most vulnerable to labor law violations, stripped of the legal protections that come with being W-2 employees.

While their intentions were to protect nail workers, the result was an unfair restriction on this sector of the industry.

The Real Impact on Manicurists

As we all know, the nail segment is dominated by first-generation immigrant women who use their skills to build a better future for themselves and their families. Protecting their legal rights is noble, but treating them differently from other beauty professionals is discriminatory.

How dare anyone—let alone elected representatives—imply that these industrious professionals can’t handle the same employment options as their colleagues?

It seems policymakers assume that nail techs are too naïve to protect their own interests if given the same flexibilities afforded to:

• Cosmetologists

• Barbers

• Lash & brow artists

• Estheticians & skincare professionals

All these professionals enjoy broader employment options—but manicurists have been singled out.

What’s Next?

The task ahead is daunting:

✅ We need to shepherd a legislative bill through the California State Assembly & Senate and have it signed by the Governor, who supports AB 5’s anti-independent contractor stance.
✅ There are powerful stakeholder interests in Sacramento that are aligned with the majority party and skeptical of any effort to sidestep AB 5’s strict “ABC Test” (which makes it nearly impossible for independent contractors to operate legally in a salon setting).
✅ California’s over-sized influence on the beauty industry means that this could set a precedent for other states—which means it’s not just California’s fight.

Call to Action: We Need a United Front

California manicurists, beauty professionals, and salon owners need to:

• Raise awareness

• Mobilize grassroots support

• Unite all industry stakeholders

This is about more than just nail techs—it’s about protecting the future of independent beauty professionals everywhere.

It’s time for the beauty and barbering world to stand together—because if California manicurists lose this battle, the rest of us could be next.