Any employee whose contract is terminated because of reduction in force shall be considered to have been dismissed with honor and shall upon request be provided a letter to that effect. Such employee shall have preferred rights to reemployment for a period of twenty-four months commencing at the end of the contract year of such employee, and the employee shall be recalled on the basis of length of service to the community college area to any position for which he or she is qualified by endorsement or college preparation to teach. The employee shall, upon reappointment, retain any benefits which had accrued to such employee prior to termination, but such leave of absence shall not be considered as a year of employment by the area. An employee under contract to another educational institution may waive recall, but such waiver shall not deprive the employee of his or her right to subsequent recall.