The North Carolina Industrial Commission is charged with administration of the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act. It is a division of the North Carolina Department of Commerce. Older references to “Workmen’s Compensation Act,” “Workmen’s Compensation” or “workmen’s compensation” now refer to “workers’ compensation” and the Workers’ Compensation Act. The Industrial Commission’s informative website is found here: http://www.comp.state.nc.us/
The Industrial Commission is governed by a Chairman and six Commissioners in accordance with the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act and the North Carolina Industrial Commission Rules. The Chairman is the agency’s chief executive officer and chief judicial officer. The Industrial Commission’s chief operating officer is the Administrator. The Administrator manages the Industrial Commission budget and 10 sections, which are: Docket, Statistics, Safety Education, Claims, Information Technology, Workers’ Compensation Nurses, Office of the Executive Secretary, Medical Fees, File Center, and Fraud Investigations. The Executive Secretary acts in a quasi-judicial capacity, and is empowered to hear motions and consider settlement agreements, among other responsibilities.
Contested issues are initially heard by Deputy Commissioners, who serve as judge. Hearings are held in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties. The Chairman and Commissioners hear cases that are appealed from the decision of a Deputy Commissioner. Decisions of the Full Commission may be appealed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals and thereafter to the North Carolina Supreme Court.
