Allegheny County K9 officers want OT for off-duty dog care
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Canine officers require care, and the police who are assigned dogs should be paid time-and-a-half for the extra time they spend attending to their K-9 colleagues, according to a lawsuit filed today against Allegheny County by six of the officers who patrol the airport.
"Plaintiffs are not paid their regularly hourly rate of pay for the unrecorded hours caring for the dogs," according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court by attorney John R. Linkosky.
"They are paid a flat amount of $10 a day or $70 per week from which they purchase food for the dogs and other needed accessories."
The county's failure to pay time-and-a-half for hours spent tending the dogs beyond the officers' normal eight-hour shifts is a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to the complaint.
County spokeswoman Amie Downs declined to comment.
Earlier this month Wilkinsburg settled a similar lawsuit by two of its officers for $35,375.
First Published March 18, 2013 1:29 pm
