State of Alaska
Workers Compensation Appeals Commission
Attorney Chair
RECRUITMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
The State of Alaska invites applications from qualified attorneys interested in serving as Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Commission. The commission has jurisdiction to hear appeals from final decisions and orders of the Workers’ Compensation Board. The commission is composed of five members: a chair, who must be an attorney, and four commissioners, who must have served as a member of the board (two considered representative of employees and two considered representative of employers). The commission’s office is located in Anchorage.
The chair is a full-time state employee who serves as the executive officer of the commission, exercises general supervision over the office, manages the caseload, and directs the functions of the commission. This includes employing and supervising staff, maintaining a time management system, assigning work, advising and cooperating with the board on procedures for the maintenance and transfer of hearing files and records, and preparing a budget. The chair presides over hearings, rules on questions of procedure, advises commissioners on matters of law, and reports on the work of the commission. For further details on the duties and qualifications of commission members, including the chair, see AS 23.30.007 – AS 23.30.009.
The chair is in the exempt service and receives a monthly salary between Step A and F of Range 27 in the AS 39.27.011(a) salary schedule. To meet the minimum qualifications for appointment as chair of the commission, an applicant
(1) must be licensed to practice law in Alaska;
(2) must be a member in good standing with the Alaska Bar Association;
(3) must have engaged in the active practice of law for at least five years with experience in workers’ compensation in Alaska;
(4) must be a citizen of the United States;
(5) must be a resident of Alaska for the five years preceding the appointment; and
(6) must not have been convicted of a felony, or convicted of a misdemeanor related to workers’ compensation.
Members of the commission, including the chair, are appointed by the Governor from a list of qualified applicants provided by the Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Office of Administrative Hearings. Appointments are subject to legislative confirmation. The term of service is five years. Members may be reappointed. The current chair’s term will expire March 1, 2015. This recruitment is being conducted now to allow ample time for a list of qualified applicants to be developed and presented to the Governor well in advance of the next legislative session.
Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5, 2014, but they will be evaluated when received so that additional information requests can be made or interviews can occur throughout the application period. To apply for the chair position, a candidate must submit a completed application form, together with a letter of interest, a writing sample conforming to the instructions in the application form, and a current certificate of good standing from the Alaska Bar Association.
Application forms can be obtained by calling (907) 269-8170 or emailing Chief Administrative Law Judge Kathleen A. Frederick at kathleen.frederick@alaska.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to:
Kathleen A. Frederick
Chief Administrative Law Judge
Office of Administrative Hearings
550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1940
Anchorage, AK 99501
Please contact Judge Frederick at (907) 269-8170 with questions about this recruitment announcement. Applicants who need a special accommodation to apply should call the Office of Administrative Hearings’ Anchorage office, (907) 269-8170, or Relay Alaska at 1-800-770-8973.