(a) Except as provided in Section 19781, a permanent, probationary, or exempt employee who begins active duty within 90 calendar days from the effective date of his or her long-term military leave or within 10 calendar days from the effective date of his or her short-term or emergency military leave and who returns to state service within six months after termination of military service under his or her long-term military leave or within 10 days after termination of military service under his or her short-term or emergency military leave shall be reinstated to his or her former position. Reinstatement to an employee’s former exempt position under this section or Section 19783 shall reestablish the employee’s tenure and civil service reinstatement rights, if any, as they existed immediately prior to his or her military leave pursuant to this section or resignation pursuant to Section 19783. For the purpose of this section any period of rehabilitation afforded by the United States or the state following active duty shall be considered as military service and termination of the state military emergency by the Governor shall be considered termination of military service.
(b) Within 30 days of the employee’s return to state service, the appointing authority shall inform the employee of his or her rights pursuant to Section 20997, and provide the member with the form provided pursuant to subdivision (f) of that section.
(c) Prior to April 1, 2017, every appointing authority shall provide a letter or electronic communication to all employees informing them of the rights provided by Section 20997.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 707, Sec. 1. (SB 294) Effective January 1, 2017.)