S.C. Code § 8-17-350
When an appeal is filed, the State Human Resources Director shall assemble all records, reports, and documentation of the earlier proceedings on the grievance and review the case to ascertain that there has been full compliance with established grievance policies, procedures, and regulations within the agency involved and shall determine whether or not the action is grievable to the committee or a mediator-arbitrator. The attorney for the Office of Human Resources or a committee attorney shall provide the State Human Resources Director legal advice requested to assist the State Human Resources Director in complying with the provisions of this article. If the State Human Resources Director determines that the action is grievable, he shall forward the appeal and documents either (1) to the mediator-arbitrator for mediation-arbitration or (2) after the mediation process has been completed, to the designated committee panel and to the committee attorney for a hearing, whichever is appropriate based on the type of adverse employment action. The State Human Resources Director shall notify committee members, the committee attorney, and the parties concerned of the date, time, and place of hearings. The documents transmitted by the State Human Resources Director to the designated committee panel and committee attorney must be marked into evidence as "Committee Exhibit I" during the committee chairman's opening statement at the beginning of the hearing unless excluded by the committee attorney based on a prior objection raised by either party.
The State Human Resources Director is responsible for recording the hearings, and shall provide to the committee from the resources of the Office of Human Resources, the administrative and clerical services required.
S.C. Code § 8-17-350