Although this may be natural for many stylists, it does not make it right and it does not make it legal. Putting an ad in the paper with your picture letting clients know that you have moved, is much different than taking client information from the salon and sending out letters to all of these clients. Employees collecting and using client information for the purpose of taking salon clients, is theft. There are business laws covering theft of a businesses propietary information. It is not necessary to have employees sign anything regarding taking client information when they leave employment. That is like having employees sign a statement that they cannot take salon equipment when they leave. This is the law and stylists should be aware of what the law is.

This is what I was told by my attorney, as to the best way to handle this type of situation. You or your attorney can contact the owner of the salon where the stylist is now employed.  Advice them in writing, that this stylist has taken your salon business information illegally and has used that information to contact your clients. Explain that you will file a lawsuit against  the salon if they continue to employ the stylist and benefit from the theft of this information. It doesn't matter if they are renting or an employee. I would do this to every salon this stylist goes to work. This is being done more often than you think in our industry with great results.

Don't  be so sure they stole info.  I was fired for standing up to a bullying salon owner.  I took nothing and never had computer access to formulas, addresses,etc.  I found 90% of my clients via the internet.  As for formulas, I started from scratch, but I had done most of these clients for so long I had an idea what to do.   People go where they want.  Yes you provided a roof over their head and supplies, but your stylist built and maintained the relationship.  Most people go to a salon because of the stylist. 

As for how to handle clients when a stylist leaves, you have to be pro-active. Do mail-outs to their clients and offer an incentive to the clients. When clients call, explain that the stylist is no longer there and you cannot give out any information about an ex-employee. If this stylist took the salons client profile cards, that is theft of salon property and she can be prosecuted. I would contact an attorney and have them contact her new salon.

If a stylist brings clients with them into a salon, and it is done properly and legally, once the client is done in the salon, the clients information becomes the legal property of the salon and the same rules apply.

To the person that contacted the salons clients over the internet, contacting the salons clients in any way is illegal.