The professional association representing California barbers and hair salon owners is suing Governor Gavin Newsom for not allowing salons to reopen.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the Professional Beauty Federation of California (PBFC) alleges that the state is denying a half-million trained professionals their human right to earn a living and that it "vaguely and arbitrarily classified licensed barbering and cosmetology professionals as 'non-essential,' criminalizing the jobs these 500,000 plus state-licensed professionals perform in every community."
"Today's legal filing asserts our God-given, Constitutionally protected right to earn our happiness by the sweat of our brows, skills of our hands and compassion in our hearts," said PBFC's president, Ted Nelson.
California is currently in Stage 2 of a four-phased approach to reopening the state's economy, which allows for limited retail, manufacturing, and some other services. Barber shops and salons, however, have not been included in the loosening of restrictions.
To read the full lawsuit, click here.