Functional responsibility:
The Commission was created to act as the final level of appeal from the decisions of the Claims Services Review Committee and the Assessment Review Committee of the Workers' Compensation Board (WCB), as well as certain types of decisions of the Board. The Commission is external from and independent of the WCB.
The Workers' Compensation Act specifies that the Appeals Commission is responsible for:

• hearing appeals from decisions under section 46 of the Act made by a review body appointed under section 45 (review of decision regarding compensation),
• hearing appeals from decisions under section 120 of the Act made by a review body established under section 119 (review of assessments and administrative penalties levied against employers),
• hearing appeals from decisions if the Board under section 21(3) (determination of the Board as to whether or not a party to the action is eligible for compensation), and
• any other matters assigned to the Commission by any statute.

Predecessor and successor bodies:
Before the creation of the Appeals Commission, the appeal process was internal to the WCB. Between 1918 and 1973, appeals were made directly to the WCB Board of Directors. Between 1973 and 1988, various internal review processes were created within the WCB, with the Board of Directors acting as the final level of appeal.

Administrative relationships:
The Appeals Commission reports to the Minister of Human Resources and Employment.

Administrative Structure:
All members of the Commission are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Commission is composed of the Chief Appeals Commissioner, who is chief executive officer of the Commission and acts as its Chair, full-time appeals commissioner representing the interests of employers and employees, and part-time commissioners.
At 2002, there were thirteen full-time and fifteen part-time commissioners, not including the Chief Appeal Commissioner.

Names of chief officers:
Chief Appeals Commissioner:
Morris E. Bahrey November 1, 1988-June 30,1996
George Pheasey July 1, 1996-present