Gov. Code, § 21024

(a) “Public service” with respect to a local member, other than a school member, also means active service with the Armed Forces of the United States or the Merchant Marine of the United States, including time during any period of rehabilitation afforded by the United States government other than a period of rehabilitation for purely educational purposes, and for six months thereafter prior to the member’s first employment by the employer under this section in which the employee was a member.

(b) Any member electing to receive credit for that public service shall make the contributions as specified in Sections 21050 and 21052. However, any eligible member who requests costing of service credit between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2003, may, instead of making those contributions, make the payment calculated under this article as it read on December 31, 2000, which payment shall be made in the manner described in Section 21050.

(c) The public service under this section shall not include military service in any period for which credit is otherwise given under this article or Article 4 (commencing with Section 20990), or to the extent that total credit under this section would exceed four years.

(d) Notwithstanding Section 21034, a member may select which of two or more periods of service entitles the member to receive public service under this section.

(e) This section shall apply to a member only if the member elects to receive credit while in state service in the employment of one employer on or after the date of the employer’s election to be subject to this section.

(f) An employer shall inform a new employee at the time of hire of their rights to purchase service credit under this section.