PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Noem has directed The Bureau of Human Resources and Administration to begin granting administrative leave to all state employee veterans serving in the honor guard while providing military funeral honors at veterans' funerals. This new leave became available on July 1, 2024.

Eligibility, as with first responders, requires the employee to be serving in their local VFW, Legion Post, or other veteran service organization’s honor guard. Service that requires travel over 60 miles (one-way) would be excluded from this new administrative leave.

For more information, please contact Jesse Merkel at 605.295.4097.