(a) The board of trustees shall appoint the administrator of the fund, and he shall serve at the pleasure of the trustees and without term of office. All officials, personnel, and employees of the Board of Trustees of the Subsequent Injury Trust Fund are placed in the classified service of the state merit system unless otherwise excluded under the authority of Code Sections 45-20-1 through 45-20-11 and 45-20-14 or other statutory authority; provided, however, that except for purposes of determining compensation, the administrator shall not be in the classified service of the state merit system.

(b) The administrator shall administer this article under such policies and rules and regulations as may be adopted by the trustees and shall be authorized to hire such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the fund.

(c) All employees of the fund shall be deemed to be employees of the state and, as such, members of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia.