Employment Security Appeals Division personnel, payment, appointment

(a) The members of the board, the chief referee and the referees of the state shall each be paid from the Employment Security Administration Fund a salary to be determined by the Commissioner of Administrative Services pursuant to section 4-40, provided the chief referee shall receive a salary greater than the salary paid to a referee and the chairperson of the board shall receive a salary greater than the salary paid to the chief referee. Expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties of office by the chairperson and members of the board, the chief referee, and the referees shall be reimbursed in accordance with regulations established for state employees by the Commissioner of Administrative Services. (b) Subject to the provisions of chapter 67, the board may appoint such employees in the appeals division as it deems necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this chapter, provided the board shall appoint a staff assistant. The staff assistant shall be qualified, by reason of training, education and experience, to carry out the duties of the position, which include, but are not limited to, performing legal research for the board, advising referees on legal matters relating to procedural and substantive problems of hearings and appeals, assisting the board chairperson in preparing legislative amendments to unemployment compensation law pertaining to appellate matters, serving as acting chairperson of the board in the chairperson's absence, and other related duties as required.