(a) The Governor shall appoint a State Department of Labor Advisory Council composed of eight members from the general public to include four employer representatives and four employee representatives who may fairly be regarded as employees because of their vocations, employment, and affiliations. Appointment of the four employee representatives, at least one of whom shall have experience in workers' compensation law and one of whom shall be a member of a building trade, shall be made from a list of qualified individuals submitted by the Vermont State Labor Council, the Vermont State Employees' Association, and the Vermont National Education Association. Appointment of the four employer representatives shall be made from a list of qualified individuals submitted by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, Associated General Contractors of Vermont, and Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. The Council members shall be appointed for staggered terms of four years. The Council shall meet at least three times a year.

(b) The Council shall advise the Commissioner regarding formulating policies by discussing the problems related to the functions and duties of the Department in order to develop impartial solutions and approaches to these issues.

(c) The Commissioner may establish subcommittees composed solely of labor or management representatives and use a portion of the Council's meeting time to meet with these subcommittees.

(d) Each member of the Council who is not a salaried official or State employee or is not otherwise compensated through employment for attending Council meetings is entitled to per diem compensation and reimbursement for expenses as provided in 32 V.S.A. § 1010. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 22, eff. March 1, 1961; 1961, No. 210, § 15, eff. July 11, 1961; 1969, No. 206 (Adj. Sess.); 2005, No. 212 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 29, 2006; 2009, No. 135 (Adj. Sess.), § 18.)