License to Braid: 2,100 Hours Required

The Iowa Board of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences is a defendant in a lawsuit alleging its regulations are a burden on one woman's right to make a living.

The plaintiff is Achan Agit, a war refugee from what is now South Sudan and a permanent U.S. resident. Achan’s elders taught her to braid when she was 5, and she remains a skilled braider. Earning a living, however, is complicated.

The Iowa cosmetology board requires licensed braiders to complete 2,100 hours of coursework in addition to earning a high school diploma. The coursework, which could cost as much as $22,000, represents more than the combined training required for dental assistants, bus drivers, EMTs, child care workers and security guards.

If Achan is caught braiding without a license, she could face up to a $10,000 fine and prison time.

Source: Forbes.com S