The administrative department of the commission shall be under the direction of the executive director. The director must be appointed by the commission, shall serve at its pleasure, and shall receive an annual salary not to exceed eighty-five percent of the salary paid to the commissioners.

The administrative director shall receive and be responsible for all files and records of the Workers’ Compensation Commission and shall refer all claims to the judicial department for disposition and receive from that department reports, information and statistics as to the disposition of claims. He also shall be responsible for the referral to the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department of all industrially injured persons that need vocational counseling or vocational evaluation, personal adjustment, training and placement.

In the performance of his duties, the director is authorized to:

(a) with the approval of the chairman of the commission, appoint and discharge, if necessary, all support personnel within the administrative department except division directors;

(b) compile all statistics and reports concerning the administration of workers’ compensation laws and the disposition of claims related thereto;

(c) conduct administrative operations of the commission in accordance with the provisions of this title and regulations promulgated thereunder.