All employees of the College are in an independent personnel system. The personnel system established under this subsection shall include provisions for: Consideration of hiring a contractual employee to fill a vacant position in the same or similar classification in which the contractual employee is employed; and Redress of any violation of Title 2, Subtitle 4 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article, including the award and payment of damages. If an employee was employed by the State in the skilled service of the State Personnel Management System, beginning January 1, 1996, the employee’s years of service as an employee of Baltimore City shall be added to the employee’s years of service with the State for the purpose of determining: The annual leave accrual rate provided in § 9-302 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article; Seniority under Title 11, Subtitle 2 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article, relating to layoffs; and Seniority under § 7-207(b) of the State Personnel and Pensions Article, relating to promotions.