OAG in the Community—Citywide Listening Tour
Dear Fellow Washingtonians,
On day one of my administration, I committed to making sure that OAG is constantly listening to community members and collaborating with local leaders. As part of that commitment, our office is hosting listening sessions across the District so that members of the public can learn more about the work and services of the Office of Attorney General (OAG), share their concerns, and discuss ways to collaborate.
Our first two listening sessions were with residents in Ward 2 and Ward 6 who shared a variety of concerns, including about public safety and housing affordability. Those issues are top priorities for our office, and I appreciated the opportunity to hear about our neighbors’ experiences and to talk about OAG’s role in keeping our community safe.
Our next listening session will be in Ward 4 tonight at Petworth Library. RSVP and get the details for OAG’s event in your ward here. If you can’t make it, feel free to email oagcommunity@dc.gov with any feedback or ideas. I’m looking forward to meeting you in your Ward and hearing about your concerns and hopes for the future of this city!
Thank you,
Brian Schwalb
Attorney General
Have Restaurant Fees Surprised You Recently? We’re Here to Help.
You have dinner at a local DC restaurant with your family. You plan to pay the price listed on the menu, sales tax, and a tip. But when your bill comes at the end of the meal, there’s a vague 20% fee added on that you didn’t expect. How do you know if the fee is going to service workers? Are restaurants allowed to charge fees without telling you?
Standing Up for Workers and Consumers by Promoting Fair Competition
Less competition in the marketplace often means higher costs for consumers, lower wages for workers, and fewer options for everyone. OAG is standing up for residents by promoting competition and fair markets. Here are two examples:
- Last fall, a new DC law against non compete agreements went into effect. OAG won a settlement with one company for using illegal noncompetes, and released an alert for workers about their rights to freely move between jobs under the new law.
- OAG joined the Department of Justice’s lawsuit to block the merger of Spirit Airlines and JetBlue, which would increase concentration in the airline industry, costing DC consumers millions of dollars every year and potentially pricing out many residents from air travel entirely.
Appreciating DC Libraries
This month, AG Schwalb and members of the OAG team toured the MLK Library downtown - a rich resource for residents of all ages. Check out the incredible programs at your local public library – free tutoring, films, story times, art classes, yoga sessions, technology tools, music events, and so much more. The public library system is a treasure trove available to all DC community members!
