(1) Upon the effective date of an adopted unification plan, all regular employees of the county and participating city or cities shall become employees of the unified local government.
(2) All rights, privileges, and protections attributed to a regular employee by a civil service system established by a county or participating city prior to the effective date of the unification plan shall continue in effect until changed by statute or ordinance.
(3) Upon the establishment of a unified local government, all rights, privileges, and protections of beneficiaries of a retirement fund or pension fund established by a participating city or county shall continue in effect until all benefits due each beneficiary have been paid.