(a) An employee as defined in § 21-5-203 who has established veterans preference eligibility and has resigned while in good standing or who has been separated without prejudice shall be eligible for reemployment within a period of time no less than the continuous period of his or her service in a department, agency, or institution of higher education, provided that he or she has been certified by the department or agency director or institution of higher education president or chancellor as meeting the current minimum qualifications as to training and experience of the class of position to which he or she is being reemployed.
(b) Prior to making the minimum qualifications certification, the department or agency director or institution of higher education president or chancellor may require the employee to pass a qualifying examination.
(c) For the purpose of reemployment eligibility under the provisions of this section, time spent in the United States Armed Forces shall not be counted.