(a) Opportunity to transfer; guarantee of rights and benefits
The agreement for transfer of Freedmen's Hospital referred to in section 124 of this title shall include provisions to assure that—

(1) all individuals who are career or career-conditional employees of the hospital on the day preceding the effective date of the transfer of the hospital, except those in positions with respect to which they have been notified not less than six months prior to the effective date of such transfer that their positions are to be abolished, will be offered an opportunity to transfer to Howard University;

(2) Howard University—

(A) will not reduce the salary levels for such employees who transfer,

(B) will deposit currently (i) in the civil service retirement and disability fund referred to in section 8348 of title 5, the employee deductions and agency contributions required by subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5, and (ii) in the fund referred to in section 8714 of title 5, the employee deductions and agency contributions required by chapter 87 of title 5.

(C) will provide other benefits for such employees as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to those generally applicable, on the effective date of the transfer of the hospital, to civilian employees of the United States, and

(D) in determining the seniority rights of its employees, Howard University will credit service with Freedmen's Hospital performed by such employees who transfer, on the same basis as it would credit such service had it been performed for such University;

(3) the transfer will become effective not later than the beginning of the second month which begins after construction of the new hospital facilities authorized by section 126 of this title is commenced.

(b) Placement of employees in comparable Federal positions
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare shall make every reasonable effort to place in other comparable Federal positions all individuals who are career or career-conditional employees of Freedmen's Hospital on September 21, 1961 and who do not transfer to Howard University.

(c) Services performed in the employ of United States
Each individual who is an employee of Freedmen's Hospital on September 21, 1961 and who transfers to Howard University shall, so long as he is continuously in the employ of Howard University, be regarded as continuing in the employ of the United States for the purposes of subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5, chapter 87 of title 5. For purposes of section 3121(b) of title 26 and section 410 of title 42, service performed by such individual during the period of his employment at Howard University shall be regarded as though performed in the employ of the United States.