820 ILCS 305/18.1
All claims by current and former employees and appointees of the Commission shall be assigned to a certified independent arbitrator not employed by the Commission designated by the Chairman. In preparing the roster of approved certified independent arbitrators, the Chairman shall seek the advice and recommendation of the Commission or the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board at his or her discretion. If the Chairman is the claimant, then the independent arbitrator from the approved list shall be designated by the longest serving Commissioner. The designated independent arbitrator shall have the authority of arbitrators of the Commission regarding settlement and adjudication of the claim of the current and former employees and appointees of the Commission. The decision of the independent arbitrator shall become the decision of the Commission. An appeal of the independent arbitrator's decision shall be subject to judicial review in accordance with subsection (f) of Section 19.
820 ILCS 305/18.1