All officers and employees of the Director of Benefit Payments who on July 1, 1978, are serving in the state civil service, other than as temporary employees, and engaged in the performance of a function vested in the department by Section 123810 shall be transferred to the department. The status, positions, and rights of these persons shall not be affected by the transfer and shall be retained by them as officers and employees of the department pursuant to the State Civil Service Act, except as to positions exempt from civil service.