Gov. Code, § 19775.8

Except as provided in Section 19781, when any person successfully completes part of an open or promotional examination but is unable to complete all portions thereof because of entry into recognized military service, the department or designated appointing authority shall arrange for him or her to take such uncompleted portion of the examination, providing application is made not later than six months after his or her release from military service. Such right to complete an examination shall not continue for longer than five years after the date of the examination.

If the applicant passes the examination, his or her name shall be placed on the eligible list that resulted from the original examination as the list stands at the time his or her name is placed thereon, provided if his or her rating is sufficiently high for his or her name to have been included on a certification to a permanent position while he or she was in the military service had his or her name been on the list when originally established, his or her eligibility shall be established, notwithstanding the removal of names from the original list, pursuant to Section 18901. He or she shall retain his or her place on such list for three years from the termination of his or her service with the Armed Forces. A name thus retained on a list beyond the time other names are removed from the list, pursuant to Section 18901, shall be removed if the person refuses to accept appointment to a permanent position after certification thereto subsequent to his or her discharge from the Armed Forces.