(

a) Except as provided in

Section 19781, a permanent, probationary, or exempt employee who begins active duty within calendar days from the effective date of his or her long-term military leave or within 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 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 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 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.