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(b) The secretary may appoint a secretary to the board to hold office at his

pleasure. Such secretary, if appointed, shall have such powers and perform

such duties, not contrary to law, as the board shall prescribe, and shall

receive such compensation as the secretary, with the approval of the

Governor, shall determine.

((b) amended Sept. 27, 1971, P.L.460, No.108)

(d) It shall be the duty of the board to hear appeals arising from claims for

compensation, adopt, amend or rescind such rules of procedure, undertake

such investigations, and take such action required for the hearing and

disposition of appeals as it deems necessary and consistent with this act.

Such rules of procedure shall be effective in such manner as the board

shall prescribe and shall not be inconsistent with this act. Any investigation,

hearing or appeal which the board has power to undertake, hold, hear

or determine, may be undertaken, held or heard by or before any one or

more of the members of the board, but any determination, ruling or order

of a member or members upon any such investigation, hearing or appeal

undertaken, held or heard by him or them, shall not become and be

effective until approved and confirmed by at least a quorum of the board.

The chairman of the board, or his representative, shall have the power as

often as he may deem the work of the board requires to designate the time

and place for the conducting of investigations, hearings and appeals, and

to assign cases to a member or members for such purposes.

(e) The secretary shall appoint and fix the compensation of such referees as

may be deemed necessary with power to take testimony in any appeals

coming before the board. Such appointment shall be subject to the

provisions of the act, approved the fifth day of August, one thousand nine

hundred and forty-one (Pamphlet Laws 752): Provided, That any person

who, on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred fifty-one, was

employed as a referee and as of said date shall have completed one or

more years of satisfactory service in such position, may make application

to the Civil Service Commission, prior to the first day of October,

one thousand nine hundred fifty-one, for appointment as a referee under

the regular classified service and, notwithstanding any provisions of said

act or any other act to the contrary, upon finding by said commission that