The appeals board, or the executive officer subject to its direction and control to whom it delegates such responsibility, shall appoint and direct the activities of one or more impartial administrative law judges who shall hear and render a decision in every matter in which a petition is filed with, or an appeal is taken to, an administrative law judge as provided in this division. The compensation of the administrative law judges shall be fixed by the State Personnel Board at a rate comparable to that of other administrative law judges or hearing officers in state service whose duties and responsibilities are comparable, without regard to whether such other positions have membership in the State Bar of California as a prerequisite to appointment. No administrative law judge shall participate in any case in which he is an interested party.