Minnesota Agencies

The commission shall have the following powers and duties:

• To exercise such powers and perform such duties concerning the administration of the workmen's compensation laws of the state as may be conferred and imposed on it by such laws;
• To exercise all powers and perform all duties now conferred and imposed on the department of labor and industry as heretofore constituted, and the bureaus of such department, so far as consistent with the provisions of Minn. Stat. chap. 175;
• To adopt reasonable and proper rules and regulations relative to the exercise of its powers and duties, and proper rules to govern its proceedings and to regulate the mode and manner of all investigations and hearings, which shall not be effective until ten days after their adoption, and a copy of these rules and regulations shall be delivered to every citizen making application therefor;
• To collect, collate, and publish statistical and other information relating to the work under its jurisdiction, and to make public reports in its judgment necessary; and on or before the first of October in each even-numbered year the commission shall report its doings, conclusions, and recommendations to the governor, which report shall be printed and distributed biennially to the members of the legislature and otherwise as the commission may direct;
• To establish and maintain branch offices as needed for the conduct of its affairs.

From 1921 to 1965, the Department of Labor and Industry was headed by the Industrial Commission which was made up of three commissioners. One of the commissioners, appointed by the governor with the consent of the State Senate, served as chair of the Industrial Commission. The Industrial Commission had two major functions: the general administration of the affairs of the department, and the quasi-judicial powers in hearings determining disputed claims under the workers' compensation law.

In 1967, the legislature abolished the commission and its commissioners were designated as the Workers' Compensation Commission (now the Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals). The new Department of Labor and Industry assumed the Industrial Commission's responsibilities under the leadership of one commissioner appointed by the governor.