North Carolina § 143-296 - Powers of Industrial Commission; Deputies.

§ 143-296. Powers of Industrial Commission; Deputies.

The members of the Industrial Commission, or a deputy thereof, shall have power to issue subpoenas, administer oaths, conduct hearings, take evidence, enter orders, opinions, and awards based thereon, punish for contempt, and issue writs of habeas corpus ad testificandum pursuant to G.S. 97-101.1 . The Industrial Commission is authorized to appoint deputies and clerical assistants to carry out the purpose and intent of this Article, and such deputy or deputies are hereby vested with the same power and authority to hear and determine tort claims against State departments, institutions, and agencies as is by this Article vested in the members of the Industrial Commission. Such deputy or deputies shall also have and are hereby vested with the same power and authority to hear and determine cases arising under the Workers' Compensation Act when assigned to do so by the Industrial Commission. The Commission may order parties to participate in mediation, under rules substantially similar to those approved by the Supreme Court for use in the Superior Court division, except the Commission shall determine the manner in which payment of the costs of the mediated settlement conference is assessed. History (1951, c. 1059, s. 6; 1979, c. 714, s. 2; 1993, c. 399, s. 2; c. 321, s. 25(b); 1995, c. 358, s. 8(a); c. 437, s. 6(a); c. 467, s. 5(a); c. 507, s. 25.13; 1998-217, s. 31.1(b).) Editor's Note. - Session Laws 1993, c. 321, s. 25(b) provided that, if HB 658 (Session Laws 1993, c. 399) was enacted, the first sentence of s. 4 of c. 399 would be amended by deleting "only if the General Assembly appropriates funds to implement the purpose of this act." However, this language is in the second sentence of section 5 of Chapter 399 and reads "only if the General Assembly appropriates funds to implement the purpose of these sections." The Revisor of Statutes was informed that appropriation was made in 1994.