All officers and employees of the Director of Benefit Payments who on the operative date of this section are serving in the state civil service, other than as temporary employees, and engaged in the performance of a function vested in the State Department of Health Services by Section 14505 shall be transferred to the State Department of Health Services. 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 State Department of Health Services pursuant to the State Civil Service Act, except as to positions exempt from civil service.