The final decisions of a hearing officer and the principles of law declared by him or her in arriving at such decisions, unless expressly or impliedly overruled by a later decision of a hearing officer or by a court of competent jurisdiction, shall be binding upon the commissioner and any adjudicator in subsequent proceedings which involve similar questions of law, except that if in connection with any subsequent proceeding the commissioner or an adjudicator has serious doubt as to the correctness of any principle so declared, he or she may certify his or her findings of fact in such case together with the question of law involved to a hearing officer who, after giving notice and reasonable opportunity for hearing upon the law to all parties to such proceedings, shall thereupon certify to the commissioner, such adjudicator, and such parties his or her answer to the question submitted. If the question thus certified to a hearing officer arises in connection with a claim for benefits, a hearing officer in his or her discretion may remove to himself or herself the entire proceedings on such claim and, after proceeding in accordance with the requirements of sections 48-634 to 48-643 with respect to proceedings before a hearing officer, shall render his or her decision upon the entire claim.