Legislative Rules Committee Approves Paid Family Leave Expansion For State Employees

(Pierre, SD) — State employees will now have more time to spend at home, following the birth or adoption of a new child without having to worry about pay. The South Dakota Legislature’s Rules Review Committee on Tuesday approved a proposal to provide one-hundred percent paid family leave for up to 12 weeks for state employees. The decision comes despite a failed push during the 2023 South Dakota legislative session. Under the previous guidelines, state employees were eligible to receive 60 percent of their pay for up to eight weeks. The benefit covers birth and adoptions.