(a) Every employee who has entered or who hereafter enters the active military service of the United States of America or of the State of California, including active service in any uniformed auxiliary of, or to, any branch of such military service created or authorized as such auxiliary by the Congress of the United States of America or by the Legislature of the State of California, or in the full-time paid service of the American Red Cross, during any period of national emergency declared by the President of the United States of America or during any war in which the United States of America is engaged, shall be deemed to have been entitled or shall be entitled to absent himself from his duties.

Within six months after such employee honorably leaves such service or has been placed on inactive duty he shall be entitled to return to the position held by him at the time of his entrance into such military service, at the salary to which he would have been entitled had he not absented himself from his duties.