101-Year-Old Wins Discrimination Settlement Against NYC Salon

posted on Oct 27 by Amelia in the Advocacy, Disability Discrimination, Disability News, Opinion and Discussion category

In April of 2008, Nettie Lobsenz, 99 at the time, went to a Mayra’s Beauty Salon in New York to get her hair done.  As the woman and her daughter approached with Nettie in a wheelchair, the owner told a young aid at the door not to allow them inside.  The daughter, Juliette Gould, 72 at the time, was told that they weren’t allowed in because her mother couldn’t walk.  Juliette left to get her mother’s walker, but they still weren’t allowed in, being told it was a liability issue.  Nettie, now 101, complained to the city’s Human Rights Commission that she was turned away for arriving in a wheelchair, and the parlor was forced to sign a conciliation agreement for $7,500 to the now 101 year old patron.

“When the owner or the manager of the salon saw us approaching, she came to the door and told the young woman not to let us in and she didn’t let us in,” Juliette said.

“They closed the door and looked passed us seeing what’s going on,” Nettie said.

“I said, ‘Is there a problem with the wheelchair? ” Juliette said. “The woman said, ‘The boss doesn’t want to let her in because she can’t walk,’ ” Juliette recalled.

That was when Juliette left to get a walker for her mother, but the parlor still refused to serve her.

“We just don’t want her in [here],” Juliette quoted her as saying, adding that she was later told there were “liability issues.”

Juliette said her mom was “more puzzled than anything else” at what happened at the parlor.

“She didn’t quite understand why the woman was so dead set against her getting in,” Juliette said.

The salon, which denies any discrimination, also has 30 days to post the sign saying it welcomes people with disabilities.

Watch the video below: