2-15-131. Rights of state personnel. Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, each state officer or employee affected by a reorganization of the executive branch of state government under this chapter is entitled to all rights that the officer or employee possessed as a state officer or employee before the effective date of the applicable reorganization law, including rights to tenure in office and of pay, rights to vacation pay, sick pay, and leave, rights under any retirement or personnel plan or labor union contract, rights to compensatory time earned, and any other rights under any law or administrative policy. This section is not intended to create any new rights for any state officer or employee but to continue only those rights in effect before the effective date of the applicable part of the reorganization law.