Local K-9 Officer Seeks Overtime Pay in Lawsuit Against Village of Tinley Park

A officer and K-9 handler is suing the village for overtime pay.

Triblocal reported Friday that Police K-9 Officer Bob Diorio filed a lawsuit Sept. 23 against the in order to collect money for the time he spends caring for the department's service animal, Thor.

He's seeking money—two to three years worth—for the time he spends with Thor outside of his regular work hours, according to the story, which should be paid at a time-and-a-half hourly rate.

“He spends an excessive amount of time outside his regular working hours caring for, feeding, grooming and transporting his service animal,” Diorio's attorney, David Stevens, told Triblocal.

The story indicates that Diorio's annual salary totals $83,096, along with an added $2,000 stipend for being the K-9 officer. His earns $39.95 per hour, Village Manager Scott Niehaus told Triblocal, and was reimbursed $1,472 last fiscal year for food and supplies he bought for the pooch.

Triblocal reports:

Niehaus said the village has not been formally served with the lawsuit and no internal grievances were previously filed by Diorio on the topic of overtime pay. “He did not approach us in what I would consider a traditional fashion,” he said.

The complaint will be sent to the village's insurance carrier once it's received to determine how to best move forward.

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