(a) All persons employed by Bishop State Community College, Southern Union State Community College, Bevill State Community College, and the Alabama Community College System who are part of the Alabama Career Center System on July 1, 2015, with no adverse effect as to salary or benefits, shall be transferred, subject to the contingency described in subsection (c), to the Alabama Department of Labor.

(b) All transferred employees shall be placed into Merit System classifications as determined by the State Personnel Department. The State Personnel Department shall credit all transferred employees with his or her years of service while with the Alabama Career Center System. All transferred personnel shall be covered by the Merit System Act and shall be entitled to all privileges and responsibilities as other Merit System employees and their service and removal shall be subject to the Merit System Act and the rules of the State Personnel Department.

(c) Implementation of this section is contingent upon federal Congressional appropriation of adequate funding from the Federal Workforce Investment Act or any successor or similar act for fiscal year 2015 or later, as determined by the Director of Finance.

(d) The Department of Labor shall contribute an amount to the State Employees' Insurance Fund for each of the retired employees of the Alabama Career Center System equal to any amount appropriated by the state to fund benefits for retired employees as determined by the State Employees' Insurance Board, contingent upon compliance with federal mandate.