worker receives $1000 settlement from nail salon

Just received these press release from AALDEF, announcing a $1000 settlement for unpaid wages and assault and battery charges on behalf of "Ms. Kim,"* a nail salon worker who worked at Spa Exposure nail salon in Rivervale, NJ:

KOREAN IMMIGRANT WORKER WINS $1,000 SETTLEMENT FROM
RIVERVALE NAIL SALON FOR UNPAID WAGES AND ASSAULT CHARGES

Newark, NJ - The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) New Jersey – Asian American Legal Project (NJ-AALP) today announced a $1,000 settlement for unpaid wages and assault and battery charges on behalf of "Ms. Kim,"* a nail salon worker who worked at Spa Exposure nail salon in Rivervale, NJ.

NJ-AALP filed the lawsuit against Spa Exposure nail salon and its owner, Ms. Sei-Yoon Park, in the Superior Court of New Jersey for Bergen County, alleging that the owner failed to pay "Ms. Kim" her wages for a day and a half of work. When Ms. Kim requested that she be paid her rightful wages, Ms. Park refused and retaliated against Ms. Kim by physically and verbally assaulting her. Shortly thereafter, Ms. Kim sought out AALDEF's help. The owner, Ms. Park, decided to settle the case before going to trial.

"Ms. Kim," said, "I was extremely upset with how Ms. Park treated me so I decided to look into what I could do to seek justice for what happened to me. The law is there for a reason and Ms. Park should follow the law and pay her employees what they are due. I hope that others will not experience the same situation as I have."

AALDEF Staff Attorney and Equal Justice Works Fellow, Alexander Saingchin, said, "Our state and federal labor laws exist to protect workers so that they receive their rightful wages. In this case, ‘Ms. Kim' was retaliated against for courageously asserting her right to be paid."

Saingchin continued, "This settlement sends a message that NJ-AALP will help workers pursue their basic rights against employers who choose to take advantage of them. We are happy to have assisted ‘Ms. Kim' and we will continue to assist other immigrant workers like her in fighting for their rightful wages."

AALDEF NJ-AALP opened its office in Newark, NJ last July and since 2005 has conducted free legal clinics in northern and central New Jersey to assist Asian immigrants and Asian Americans with employment and immigration law questions. NJ-AALP, an initiative of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), is dedicated to addressing the unmet legal needs of Asian Americans in New Jersey. Individuals seeking assistance may contact the AALDEF NJ-AALP helpline at (888) 406-1555.

*Not her real name. The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, founded in 1974, is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all. To learn more about AALDEF's work, visit the website here.