The provisions of this article requiring a specific application for transfer of reserve account shall not apply to any successor who through error or inadvertence continued to file contribution reports and pay contributions for the account and at the rate determined by the department to apply to the predecessor employer, but such reporting and payment shall be deemed to be in lieu of the application and shall be given the same effect as though a specific application had been filed during the 90-day period beginning with the date of acquisition.
Ca. Unemp. Ins. Code § 1054