All officers and employees of the State Department of Benefit Payments who, on the operative date of the statute amending this section at the 1977 portion of the 1977-78 Regular Session of the Legislature, are serving in the state civil service, other than as temporary employees, and engaged in the performance of a function vested in the Employment Development Department by Section 301 shall be transferred to the Employment Development Department. The status, positions, and rights of such persons shall not be affected by the transfer and shall be retained by them as officers and employees of the Employment Development Department pursuant to the State Civil Service Act, except as to positions exempt from civil service.

(Amended by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1252.)