South Dakota state employees are in the midst of the sign up period for their benefits for next year.

Eric Olilla, Executive Director of the South Dakota State Employees Organization, says the legislature didn’t make any changes to the package this year…..

State employees will get a six percent pay raise on July first. Olilla says that helps ease the pressure on the benefits….

Olilla says he is talking to state employees about getting individual raises….

Olilla says many department heads have budget flexibility to give raises above the six percent guideline.