(a) To administer and enforce the laws of this Commonwealth, as now existing or hereafter enacted, relating to workmen's compensation and occupational disease compensation: Provided, however, That the Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board¹ shall perform their duties independently of the Secretary of Labor and Industry, or any other official of the department, except that all clerical, stenographic and other assistance required by the Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board shall be appointed by the department as provided in this act;

(b) To receive and classify reports of all accidents and injuries; to receive and examine or disapprove agreements, supplemental agreements, notices, receipts, final receipts, and other papers in workmen's compensation cases and order the correction of any errors therein and by general rule, to regulate or waive the filing, approval or disapproval of such papers in the interest of fair, practical and prompt resolution of the rights of the parties, as provided by law;

(c) To follow up in all cases in which workmen's compensation is payable, and see that compensation is paid promptly and in accordance with the laws of this Commonwealth;

(d) To advise injured workmen and others of their rights under the workmen's compensation laws;

(e) From time to time, to divide the State into such number of workmen's compensation districts as it may deem advisable for the proper administration of the workmen's compensation laws;

(f) To receive and refer to Workmen's Compensation Referees all claims for compensation in contested or unpaid cases and to receive and refer to the Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board all appeals from decisions of referees and to mail copies of decisions to all affected parties;

(g) To render to the Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board any reasonable assistance requested by the board in the conduct of its work;

(h) Except in cases in which the Commonwealth's liability therefor is covered by insurance, to prepare and issue to the Auditor General certificates or requisitions for the payment of workmen's compensation to injured employes of the Commonwealth.