City
Takes Cleaners to Court |
By Jorge Casuso
May 13 -- The City has filed a civil lawsuit against nine
Santa Monica dry cleaning and laundry businesses charging them with
failing to comply with laws to combat price discrimination based
on gender, the City Attorneys office announced Tuesday.
The nine businesses were warned several times that they were violating a 1996
State law that prohibits charging men and women different prices for similar
services, unless there is a legitimate difference in the time, difficulty or
cost of providing the service.
The businesses also failed to provide customers with the pricing
information required by the law, which covers tailors, dry cleaners
and hair salons, businesses that have traditionally charged different
prices based on gender.
“This lawsuit is to make sure that all businesses follow the law,”
said Deputy City Attorney Adam Radinsky. “Female customers shouldn’t
have to wonder if they’re getting fair pricing when they go to the cleaners
-- or to the hair salon.”
The establishments cited failed to comply with one or more of the law’s
key requirements -- that they clearly post the prices for their 15 most-requested
services, give customers a complete price list upon request and post a large
anti-discrimination sign with prescribed language.
The operator of one of the dry cleaning establishments said he complied with
all of the provisions except providing customers with a complete price list
upon request, which he said was difficult, if not impossible to do.
“Cleaners have always operated on an estimate base,”
said Jae Kim, whose family owns Yale Cleaners. “Our prices
are all varied. It’s not possible for us to come up with a
complete list.”
The new owner of Quality Express Cleaners said he printed out the
list of the 15 most requested services to hand out to customers
after he was cited by the City Attorneys office, but no one came
to check if he had complied.
“I have a list. We’re ready, but I don’t know when they’re
coming,” said Won Kuk, who bought the shop from his cousin in January.
Kuk said the City is charging him a $2,500 penalty. “This is unfair,”
he said.
According to the law, the list of 15 most-requested services is different from
the complete list, Radinsky said.
“They have to give a complete price list upon request,” he said.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, resulted
from an information campaign “a couple of years ago to raise awareness
of the issue,” Radinsky said.
Although people have complained about pricing discrimination over the years,
“there was no particular complaint that spurred this lawsuit,”
he said.
The City’s enforcement of the law began in February 2007, when the City
Attorney’s Consumer Protection Unit sent a courtesy letter to each of
Santa Monica’s 48 cleaners and 91 hair salons advising them of the disclosure
and posting requirements.
A follow-up inspection in April found that none of the 29 businesses chosen
at random were fully complying with the law, Radinsky said.
The Consumer Protection Unit then wrote a second letter reminding the businesses
of the law and warning of possible legal consequences if they continued in violation,
he said.
A follow-up inspection in October 2007 showed that nine of the violators had
still not fully complied with the three requirements of the law, and some of
the nine had not complied with any of the requirements, Radinsky said.
A final inspection on May 2 showed that the same nine businesses still lacked
the required signage and/or available price lists, he said.
“We are glad that most businesses eventually did the right thing and
complied with the law once we told them the requirements,” Radinsky said.
The following businesses will face charges:
- Metropolitan Cleaners
- Executive Cleaners and Laundry
- Dryclean Express
- Santa Monica Cleaners
- Yale Cleaners
- TJ Cleaners and Tailor Shop
- 16th Street Cleaners
- Quality Express Cleaners
- Santa Monica Valet Shop
The City Attorney’s Office is seeking an injunction against
further violations and monetary penalties.
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