§ 62-14.  Commission staff; structure and function.

(a) The Commission is authorized and empowered to employ hearing examiners; court reporters; a chief clerk and deputy clerk; a commission attorney and assistant commission attorney; transportation and pipeline safety inspectors; and such other professional, administrative, technical, and clerical personnel as the Commission may determine to be necessary in the proper discharge of the Commission's duty and responsibility as provided by law. The chairman shall organize and direct the work of the Commission staff.

(b) The salaries and compensation of all such personnel shall be fixed in the manner provided by law for fixing and regulating salaries and compensation by other State agencies, except that the Commission and its employees are exempt from portions of the North Carolina Human Resources Act as provided in G.S. 126A-15.2, including policies established by the State Human Resources Commission for classification, compensation, hours and days of work, vacation and sick leave, promotion and transfer, and prohibition of the establishment of incentive pay provisions of the North Carolina Human Resources Act as provided by G.S. 126A-1-20(8)gg.

(c) The chairman, within allowed budgetary limits and as allowed by law, shall authorize and approve travel, subsistence and related expenses of such personnel, incurred while traveling on official business.  (1963, c. 1165, s. 1; 1977, c. 468, s. 3; 2023-134, s. 11.16(a); 2023-138, s. 6(a); 2026-40, ss. 4.11, 5.9(h).)