The Commissioner of the Department of Workers’ Claims is responsible for administering and managing the daily operations of the agency. The Commissioner is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The Commissioner shall have demonstrated knowledge and experience in the area of workers’ compensation, public administration, and administrative law. The Commissioner, with the assistance of the Board, shall train and instruct the administrative law judges on an ongoing basis; assign cases; and monitor the caseloads of the administrative law judges and the Workers’ Compensation Board to ensure timely disposition of cases; keep and be the custodian of records of the board and administrative law judges; annually report the activities of the board and the administrative law judges to the Governor; and devote his or her full time to the duties of his or her office.
Scott C. Wilhoit Commissioner
Commissioner Scott C. Wilhoit graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in 1985. He then earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Kentucky in 1989. Over the past 30 years, Scott has extensively practiced workers’ compensation and civil litigation across the Commonwealth. He has litigated workers’ compensation cases at all levels, including Administrative Hearings, Workers’ Compensation Board, Kentucky Court of Appeals and the Kentucky Supreme Court. Scott is licensed to practice in Kentucky, Indiana, Eastern and Western Districts of United States District Courts and the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association.
Lucretia R. Johnson Deputy Commissioner
Lucretia Reasons Johnson graduated from Murray State University with a bachelor’s degree in Education. She has 29 years of experience in the Workers’ Compensation arena and has been employed by the Department of Worker’s Claims for 26 years as a Specialist, Director and most currently Deputy Commissioner. Lucretia is a Kentucky Certified Public Manager. She has served as a volunteer on numerous boards and currently serves as the co-chair of the Medical/Rehab Committee for the Southern Association of Workers’ Compensation Administrators (SAWCA).