The personnel appeals board may appoint one or more hearings examiners to conduct mediation, preside at prehearing conferences, and/or preside at hearings and make recommended decisions in accordance with rules established by the personnel appeals board in all cases of employee appeals to the board. Hearings examiners may be retained with a personal services contract and compensated in accordance with the provisions of chapter 43.88 RCW and rules adopted pursuant thereto. Hearings examiners shall conduct hearings in the same manner and shall have the same authority as the personnel appeals board when conducting hearings. The executive secretary may act as a hearings examiner for the purpose of conducting mediation, presiding at prehearing conferences and making prehearing orders.