(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, including [former] § 8-30-309, and recognizing the years of faithful and dedicated service to the department by the employees of community services agencies providing correctional health services for the department, community services agency employees who serve in jobs that would be classified as career service, as defined in [former] § 8-30-208, had they been employed in the state service, and whose functions and positions are transferred to the department by the commissioner on or before July 1, 2005, shall be transferred into the department and shall receive the benefits and protection of career service status, and shall be eligible for participation in the state health insurance plan on June 7, 2005, without further examination or competition.

(b) No employee so transferred shall be subject to § 8-30-308, as a result of this transfer, if the employee has worked for the community services agencies for a length of time equal to the probationary period applying to the equivalent state service position; and, if not, the employee shall complete the probationary period after the employee's transfer to the department.

(c) All transfers shall take place no later than July 1, 2005.

(d) Transfers of employees from the community services agencies to the department, pursuant to this section, shall not result in any diminution, impairment or interruption of current salary, accrued sick and annual leave, seniority, participation in the Tennessee consolidated retirement system, or amounts already accrued under a deferred compensation plan; provided, however, that this shall not impair the department's authority, through established policies and procedures, to correct salary disparities.

(e) Any employee so transferred shall be eligible for promotion pursuant to title 8, chapter 30, after the transfer takes effect.