West Ridge – Seven former employees of Little Angels Day Care Center, located at 6407 N. Maplewood Ave., say the center has withheld thousands of dollars in wages. Collectively, they claim the daycare owes them over $24,000 in unpaid salaries.
Workers Take Their Fight to the Streets
On Thursday, the workers gathered outside the daycare with organizers from Arise Chicago and Communities United. They placed a demand letter on the lobby floor outlining each employee’s unpaid wages and urging the owner to settle the debt promptly. This is the second letter the staff have delivered; a first letter sent in June was reportedly ignored.
Arise Chicago reports that six formal complaints have been filed: two with the Illinois Department of Labor and four with the Chicago Office of Labor Standards. Both agencies have not yet commented on the status of the investigations.
Personal Stories Highlight the Impact
Ale Moreno, who worked at Little Angels for about ten months while attending college, says she is owed roughly $1,000. Moreno left the job after two consecutive paychecks failed to arrive, explaining that the missing income created a major financial strain for her family.
“I loved my job, but I didn’t love not getting paid,” Moreno told reporters. “Not getting paid had a major income and emotional impact on me and my family. We still had important expenses.”
Long‑time employee Jasmin Ramboyong, who spent five years at the center before leaving in 2023 to care for a child with a serious medical condition, says she is owed more than $7,000. After being asked to return in October 2024 with a promised wage increase, Ramboyong worked an additional 180 hours but never received the higher rate or payment for that time.
“For a while I turned a blind eye,” Ramboyong said. “But gratitude should never mean accepting exploitation. I felt betrayed.” She added that the missing wages caused her to miss a car payment for the first time in years and forced her to rely on credit cards to cover everyday costs.
City and State Agencies Respond
A spokesperson for Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection declined to comment on the active investigations, noting the office does not discuss ongoing cases. The Illinois Department of Labor could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
Broader Context
The dispute underscores ongoing concerns about wage theft in the childcare sector, a field where many families rely on affordable, reliable care for their children. Labor advocates argue that stronger enforcement of existing labor laws is essential to protect both workers and the families they serve.
Arise Chicago and Communities United continue to monitor the situation, urging the daycare’s owner to resolve the unpaid wages promptly and to comply with all applicable labor regulations.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
