Whenever, under the provisions of this article, the commissioner is authorized or required to do any act, he may designate an assistant, or any salaried employee of the department, to act in his place and stead, who shall report to the commissioner and advise the commissioner on the nature of the matter delegated. The commissioner shall make such order, based upon such advice and report, as he shall, in his discretion, determine, and such order shall have the same force and effect as if the commissioner had acted thereon personally.