The commissioner shall employ such assistants, to be known as state banking examiners, as may be necessary for the efficient operation of the department, to aid him in the discharge of the duties and responsibilities imposed upon him by law. The minimum qualifications for such employment shall be possession of a bachelor’s degree from a recognized college or university, or three (3) years’ experience as a bank examiner, bank officer or employee, small loan company officer or employee, or other consumer finance officer or employee and such other qualifications set out for banking examiners in the plan for the state personnel system. However, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, any person who is serving as a state banking examiner in the former Department of Bank Supervision on March 21, 1980, shall be qualified to serve as a state banking examiner in the department. The state bank examiners shall not, directly or indirectly, be connected with any banking business in Mississippi or elsewhere during their respective terms of office, after four (4) months from the time of qualifying as an examiner.

The commissioner may employ such additional employees as may be necessary to carry out those duties and responsibilities imposed upon him by law, who shall possess such qualifications set out for their particular position in the plan for the state personnel system.

No examiner or other employee related by consanguinity or affinity to the commissioner within the third degree computed according to the civil law shall be employed by him.

The examiners and all other persons employed by the commissioner under the provisions of this section shall be compensated as provided in the compensation plan for the state personnel system, unless otherwise provided by law. The compensation for such employees shall be payable monthly out of the funds of the department.

The commissioner shall be responsible for all acts of the examiners and the other employees. Any examiner or other employee may be dismissed only in accordance with the laws, rules and regulations applicable to the state personnel system.

As a condition of employment with the department, the commissioner shall require all employees and applicants for employment with the department to be fingerprinted to determine their suitability for employment as examiners or assistants as needed. If no disqualifying record is identified at the state level, the Department of Public Safety shall forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a national criminal history record check. The Department of Banking and Consumer Finance shall pay all of the costs in connection with the criminal history record check procedure. These record checks shall not be used by the Department of Banking and Consumer Finance for any purpose other than to determine suitability for employment with the department.