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- calendar_today October 19, 2026
Attorney General Schwalb Takes Action Against Wage Theft
On October 15, 2026, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced a lawsuit against Little Swalih Education Center Inc., formerly known as Little Samaritan Child Development Center Inc., and its owner and CEO Ode H. Hines. The legal action addresses allegations that the now-defunct Ward 7 child care center failed to pay six of its employees the wages they were owed, as well as accrued leave, after abruptly closing its doors in July 2024.
Allegations of Unpaid Wages and Sudden Closure
The 14-page complaint, filed by Schwalb's office, states that Little Samaritan and Hines closed the center without notifying workers or parents in advance. According to the lawsuit, many employees discovered the closure only when they arrived for their scheduled shifts and found the building locked and inaccessible due to changed locks. Parents arriving that morning also found themselves unable to access the facility, with some children’s belongings and medications remaining inside. The complaint asserts that the six affected childcare workers did not receive their final paychecks or accrued leave in a timely manner.
D.C. Labor Law Requirements and Penalties
Under D.C. labor law, employers are required to pay wages owed to terminated employees by the next working day. If employers fail to do so, they are subject to a penalty of an additional 10 percent of the unpaid amount for every day the payment is delayed. Schwalb’s office is seeking nearly $15,000 in unpaid wages, as well as damages and penalties for violations of D.C.’s laws regarding employee rights. In his statement on the lawsuit, Schwalb affirmed, “We will continue to aggressively enforce our wage and hour laws to ensure childcare workers get paid every dollar that they have earned.” He further warned that wage theft in the childcare industry could affect families by limiting the availability and raising the cost of child care options.
History of Enforcement in the Child Care Sector
This is not the first instance of D.C.’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) pursuing legal action against child care providers for failing to adhere to labor and safety regulations. In 2021, the OAG, then under former Attorney General Karl A. Racine, secured $950,000 from Washington Hebrew Congregation’s preschool for violations related to child care safety laws and parent fees. That same year, KCE Champions LLC reached a settlement with the OAG, requiring reforms to business practices for greater transparency and fairness to parents.
Ongoing Concerns About Early Childhood Pay Equity
Childcare workers in D.C. have repeatedly been in the spotlight amidst complex city budget discussions, especially regarding the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund established in 2021 to address stagnant wages in the field. While the fund made D.C. a national leader in raising early childhood pay, recent proposals from Mayor Muriel Bowser threatened cuts. In June, the D.C. Council restored critical funding that Mayor Bowser’s budget for fiscal year 2027 had slashed, protecting salary support for over 4,000 local educators, according to the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
The Broader Impact of Labor Enforcement
The case against Little Samaritan Education Center highlights broader issues of wage theft and the importance of labor enforcement in the child care sector. As legal proceedings continue, the OAG’s actions send a message that violations of employee rights in educational settings will be met with robust enforcement of D.C. labor laws.
Source: washingtoncitypaper.com.
