SDCL § 3-6D-6: Merit standards for personnel management actions.

Any personnel management actions taken under the provisions of this chapter shall comply with merit standards as follows:

(1) Recruiting, selecting, and advancing civil service employees through open consideration of qualified applicants for initial appointments and promotions. Selection of qualified applicants is based on relative ability, knowledge, and skills;

(2) Providing equitable and adequate compensation;

(3) Training civil service employees to assure high quality performance;

(4) Retaining civil service employees based on performance, correcting inadequate performance, and separating employees whose performance cannot be improved; and

(5) Assuring fair treatment without regard to age, political affiliation, race, color, national origin, sex, or religious creed.