Ericka Chancellor, a former California State Board of Cosmetology Expert Examiner and Salon Owner of Sweet 1 Hair Studios in the City of Inglewood is pleased with Governor Gavin Newsom’s new COVID-19 guidelines for California issued on June 15, 2021.

Chancellor experienced the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought promises of business loans, stimulus payments, increased unemployment checks, and financial aid that failed to reach small business owners in the Hair and Nail salon industry. “The last twelve months have been a never-ending series of financial nightmares and adjustments not only for businesses, but for all salons,” said Chancellor.

During the shutdown, Chancellor shared her concerns regarding The California State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, Los Angeles County Health Department, and Governor Gavin Newsom’s limited support that impacted licensed hair stylist, barbers and nail technicians. The unequal rights, privileges and lack of structured health and safety regulations for this professional hair-care community was overlooked. “In this time of a disproportionate crucial pandemic the need for health protection and safety privileges is a disparate crisis”, says Chancellor.

In this heighten COVID-19 climate, Chancellor feels with the Governor’s new guidelines there is now a glimmer of hope with hair salons and barber shops across the state reopening indoors with health precautions in place.

Chancellor has discovered in being a former California State Board of Cosmetology Expert Examiner, many stylists face challenging inspections that are completed by the board. Chancellor is available to assist stylist with fines, appeals and many legal complaints. Her organization Beyond The Chairs is designed to support and mentor stylist in the following areas:

·         Motion Picture and TV Styling

·         Social Media & Marketing

·         Bridging Digital Divide Gaps

·         The Registered for International Certification

·         Booth Rental

·         Independent Contracting

·         Apprenticeship Training

·         Out of state contracts

·         Tax Consultant

 

Because Chancellor is a former California State Board of Cosmetology Expert Examiner, she wanted to share her insight on three important issues.

 

 

The opening of our salons is specifically the best part. I believe with the education the schools provided for hair professionals were sufficient to continue to work. Hair professionals work on a daily basis with the public. We are more than prepared for infection control thanks to our schools. The development of the new standards in the salon; capacity limitations, ventilation, and salon preparedness plans were big ones to me. This once again is a great manifestation of continual development of the industry, by industry professionals.

The most challenging part of an inspection are police involvement and ambiguous wording. The police involvement in salon inspections is an abuse of power, most salon owners are law abiding citizens of the United States. The Police mission is to safeguard the lives and property of the people they serve in the hair care community to reduce the incidence and fear of crime, and to enhance public safety.

 

During the salon inspections lives are not a risk, fearful crimes are not being committed, so the involvement in the inspections are sometimes abusive. The Development of new guidelines is very pivotal for better working relationships.

 

The ambiguous wording for example not violation 981 “disposing of tools that cannot be reused.” An inspector will walk into a salon and a hair professional can open the door, lay down a hair tool, and now the inspector can say it was not disposed of, although I was still using the tool. This poses a problem. In no way has that tool harmed the public. So why fine this hair professional?

 

Violation 993(b) “Illegal tools on premises-needle-…… and other similar procedures.” More than 50% of stylist use weaving needles, croquet needles and many more. Why would this be a violation if the needles are keep in proper storage containers. As a natural hair stylist, I am able to use this tool and for the board to inspect my usage of the tool and how it was handled is unexplainable. The board refuses to educate on the needle usage, instead they rather enforce the violation.