Manicurists have filed a class action complaint again Anna Do, owner of Envy Salon, in a Manhattan Federal Court.  Do is the owner of more than 50 nail salons in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Plaintiffs allege that Do fails to pay her employees less than minimum wage and sometimes as little as $5.00 per day.  They are paid off the books, and even with tips, Plaintiffs claim that they are paid less than what is required under the law.  Plaintiffs state that most of the workers at Envy Salon have recently arrived from Mexico and Ecuador and are taken advantage of by Do.  When visited by government inspectors, Do also instructs the workers to falsely identify themselves as independent contractors, as opposed to employees.  These practices are common in the manicure and salon industry because the owners can take advantage of recent immigrants and non-English speaking employees.

This firm will continue to monitor further developments in this case.