As a personal service provider, you work directly with people in your community in a position of trust. You see people when they're vulnerable, sick, stressed, or working to improve their lives. You hear their confidence and help boost self-esteem. But as a result of your trusted profession, whether you are a massage therapist, cosmetologist, barber, esthetician, or athletic trainer, you're held to a higher standard of conduct in your professional and personal lives.
Each state maintains a licensing board that ensures personal service providers like you have the education, training, and conduct to work in these positions of trust. But if someone makes a formal complaint against you or you are facing an arrest on a criminal charge, your board can investigate and suspend or revoke your license. If this happens, it's not something you should handle on your own. While many of us have the urge to think, “If I can just explain, everyone will understand.” But because the stakes are so high, you need Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his experienced professional licensing defense team protecting your rights. Attorney Lento and the seasoned Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm have been helping people like you through licensing board investigations, hearings, and appeals for years. They can help you too, no matter where you live.
Athletic Trainers
Athletic trainers aren't just personal trainers. Licensed athletic trainers have specialized education and training in injury and illness prevention, assessment, rehabilitation, and treatment. They help ensure that athletic competition is safe and athlete performance is high. Athletic trainers are among the leading experts in health care for physically active people. You'll find them working with high school and college athletes in doctor's offices, community hospitals, professional sports teams, and rehabilitation facilities. State licensing requirements often require a college degree, advanced education and training, and a certification exam. Because of the special position of trust that athletic trainers hold, allegations of misconduct can offer trigger an investigation from the state licensing board. Some of the most common allegations that can trigger an investigation or disciplinary action include:
- Sexual misconduct, including inappropriate relationships with clients, sexual coercion, and unwanted sexual advances,
- Distributing controlled substances like illegal steroids or painkillers to athletes,
- Substance abuse or alcohol abuse,
- Fraud, such as falsifying credentials or making exaggerated guarantees,
- Gross negligence or incompetence, such as putting injured athletes back in a game or overtraining athletes to the point of injury, and
- Criminal convictions, particularly those involving crimes of moral turpitude.
Estheticians
Estheticians are skin care specialists, working closely with clients to examine the condition of their client's skin and performing skincare and beauty treatments like facials, massage, hair removal, and makeup application. To become a licensed professional, an esthetician undergoes hundreds of hours of specialized education, training, and written and practical exams. Each state maintains a licensing board to ensure that estheticians meet necessary training, education, health, and safety standards. Some of the most common issues that can result in a licensing board investigation for an esthetician include:
- Failing to meet inspection standards,
- Failing to keep licensing and continuing education up to date,
- Unsanitary practices, such as failing to keep tools and workplaces clean and sanitized,
- Gross negligence or incompetence, such as causing an injury or disfigurement or failing to follow necessary safety protocols,
- Improperly disposing of potentially infectious material or bodily fluids,
- Acting beyond the scope of licensing, and
- Violating professional ethics, such as having a personal relationship with a client.
If you're facing a licensing board investigation or allegations of misconduct, you need attorney Joseph D. Lento and his skilled Professional Licensing Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm as soon as possible. They can help nationwide.
Cosmetologists and Barbers
Cosmetologists and barbers may need one or more licenses depending on the services they offer in each state. They often offer services such as:
- Barbering,
- Hair styling,
- Hair coloring,
- Nail care,
- Waxing,
- Tattooing,
- Body piercing, and
- Esthetics or skin care.
As a result, a barber or cosmetologist may have thousands of hours of specialized training and education and must pass one or more licensing and practical exams. Some of the more common issues that can result in a licensing board investigation or disciplinary action include:
- Unsanitary practices, such as failing to clean and disinfect instruments and work areas,
- Improperly disposing of potentially infectious or hazardous materials, such as chemicals and used cosmetics,
- Gross negligence or incompetence that leads to injuries or disfigurement, such as scalp or skin burns,
- Acting beyond the scope of licensing, and
- Criminal convictions, such as felony convictions.
Massage Therapists
Massage therapists are often vital to the well-being and recovery of people in the community. They work with people with injuries, cancer, infertility, and a wide range of illnesses and healthy people to maintain relaxation and ease stress. Because massage therapists work with physically vulnerable people, state licensing boards maintain high standards for their conduct professionally and personally. Some of the most common issues that can result in a licensing board investigation or disciplinary action for a massage therapist include:
- Unsanitary practices, such as failing to keep a workspace and linens cleaned and disinfected between clients,
- Inappropriate conduct with clients, such as failing to maintain professional boundaries, making sexual advances, or behaving aggressively toward a client,
- Using a massage therapy practice as the front for a massage parlor or prostitution ring,
- Practicing under the influence of drugs or alcohol,
- Allowing unlicensed employees to perform tasks restricted to licensed workers, and
- Acting beyond the scope of licensing.
How We Can Help You
The stakes can be high if you're facing an investigation or challenge to your professional license. You can face a reprimand, suspension, or even the loss of your license and your career. This isn't something you have to handle on your own. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and the skilled Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm, can help you through a licensing board investigation, hearing, or appeal. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686, or contact them online to schedule your consultation. They can help nationwide.
