Hair stylists concerned about Westport salon's COVID-19 practices

Former hair stylists of Chop Tops in Westport said they are concerned about the businesses practices amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

AWAY ANYTIME SOON.PLUS --"This isn't something that wewant tobe a part of, this is likesacrificing ourmorals"FORMER EMPLOYEES ATCHOP TOPS SALON INWESTPORT CLAIM THEIRBOSSES CONTINUED TOWORK WHILE POSITIVEFOR COVID-19.THEY SAY IT'S ONE OFSEVERAL CONCERNS THEYHAVE ABOUT HOW THEBUSINESS IS HANDLINGTHE PANDEMIC.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER EMMA JAMESTALKED TO THEM -- ANDTHE OWNERS' FAMILY TOGET ANSWERS."I spoke with four formeremployees here at Chop TopsWestport who say they'reconcerned with how thebusiness handled Covid-19cases.

I took those concernsto the Salon."KAT THORPE, FORMER STYLIST"If you want to go somewhereyou can feel safe and feeltaken care of it is 100% notthe place that you need to go."AFTER WORKING AS ASTYLIST AT CHOP TOPSFOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS- KAT THORPE RESIGNEDOVER THE WEEKEND.THORPE SAYS THESALON'S OWNER PUT HERAND OTHERS AT RISK BYWORKING FOR AFTERTESTING POSITIVE FORCOVID-19.CORA HOAGLIN, FORMER CHOPTOPS STYLIST"We all had been workingaround them again they werechecking in on Facebook, wehave schedules with theirnames on it from when theywere working."MEGAN VANDERHAGEN, CHOPTOPS SALON COORDINATOR"That's just simply not trueand I mean we have softwarethat records every key strokewe have to login with ourusernames they can clearlynot be seen in any of thatdatabase."THE OWNERS' DAUGHTER -MEGAN - SAYS HERMOTHER DID CHECK IN ATTHE BUSINESS ONFACEBOOK DURING HERQUARANTINE - BUT SAYS ITWAS ONLY TO DROP OFFSUPPLIES AT THE BACKDOOR.FORMER EMPLOYEES SAYTHEY WERE NEVER TOLDABOUT ANOTHER CO-WORKER WHO TESTEDPOSITIVE AND CONTINUEDTO WORK WITH CILENTS.CORA HOAGLIN, FORMER CHOPTOPS STYLIST"None of that stylists' clientswere contacted and they hadworked two full days touchingand interacting with clients"MEGAN SAYS AT THE TIME -THE BUSINESS WASN'TTOLD IT NEEDED TO DO SO.SHE'S SINCE HAD TWOPHONE CONVERSATIONSWITH THE HEALTHDEPARTMENT ABOUT HOWTO HANDLE CASES MOVINGFOWARD.WE REACHED OUT TO THEKANSAS CITY HEALTHDEPARTMENT TO ASKABOUT CONTACT TRACINGAND WE WERE TOLD THATBUSINESSES SHOULDMAINTAIN A RECORD OFOCCUPANTS WHO ARE ONTHEIR PREMISES FORLONGER THAN 10 MINUTESAS A WAY TO HELP WITHCONTACT TRACING.EMPLOYEES ALSO CLAIMTHEY WERE FIRED FORSHARING CONCERNS ONSOCIAL MEDIA.SEVERAL OTHERSRESIGNED.MAKAYLA ALLEN, FORMERSTYLIST"I think that at this point itisabsolutely worth being joblessthan letting my integrity sufferlike this."IN KANSAS CITY, EMMAJAMES, 41 ACTION NEWS.YOU CAN REPORT COVID-19 ISSUES WITHBUSINESSES IN K-C-MO BYFILING A 3-1-1 COMPLAINT.YOU CAN DO THAT OVERTHE PHONE -- OR ON K-C-MO'S WEBSITE...K-C-MO DOT GOV.THE CITY ALSO HAS A