Catherwood LibraryILR School

Students at an Aveda Institute located in Chicago were recently recognized as having employee status, by a federal judge. Aveda’s cosmetology students were required to perform various manual labor tasks, such as cleaning floors and washing towels. Students reported that they were unable to refuse to perform these tasks. While the cosmetology school’s representatives argued that manual labor was part of the students’ education, federal judge Judith Levy disagreed and ruled that those students performing said tasks should legally be considered employees.