Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 31 - Civil Service
Section 28 - Labor Service Applicants; Eligibility; Age Limit; Veteran's Preference

Section 28. Except as provided in the last paragraph of this section, the names of persons who apply for employment in the labor service of the commonwealth and of the cities and towns shall be registered and placed, in the order of the dates on which they file their applications, on the registers for the titles for which they apply and qualify. The name of any such person shall remain on such register for not more than five years, subject to a renewal of application pursuant to this section. Such person shall continue to be eligible for appointment from any such register and shall maintain his place on such register if he renews his application during the six months immediately prior to or during the six months immediately following the expiration of his five year period of eligibility. Such continuing eligibility shall have a duration of not more than five years after the date of expiration of the original five year period. A renewal filed later than six months after such expiration date will not be accepted, and the applicant who filed such late renewal will be required to file a new application and will be placed on the register as of the new date of registration.
During his period of eligibility, any such person may add titles for which he qualifies, in addition to those for which he originally applied, to his application for employment in the labor service. Eligibility for appointment to such additional titles shall continue for the remainder of the period of eligibility for the titles for which application was originally made.
An appointing authority may include in a requisition for laborers a statement that the work to be performed requires young and vigorous persons. The administrator, after investigating such statement and being satisfied that it is true, may establish an age limit and certify only those persons whose age is within such limit.
The names of veterans who apply for employment in the labor service shall be placed on the registers for the titles for which they qualify ahead of the names of all other persons. The names of spouse or surviving parent of veterans who were killed in action or died from service connected disability, incurred in wartime service, who present proof from official sources of such facts, satisfactory to the administrator, and who have not remarried, shall be placed on the registers for the titles in the labor service for which they apply and qualify above the names of all other applicants but below the names of veterans.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title IV - Civil Service, Retirements and Pensions

Chapter 31 - Civil Service

Section 1 - Definitions

Section 2 - Powers and Duties of Commission

Section 3 - Rules

Section 4 - New or Amended Rules; Hearings; Publication

Section 5 - Powers and Duties of Administrator

Section 6 - Appointments; Requisitions

Section 6a - Performance Evaluation System; Implementation

Section 6b - Weight of Performance Evaluation in Promotions

Section 6c - Employee Disagreement With Evaluation; Appeal

Section 7 - Promotional Appointments in Official Service

Section 8 - Promotional Appointments in Official Service Within Same Departmental Unit

Section 9 - Departmental Promotional Examinations

Section 10 - Alternate Departmental Promotional Examinations

Section 11 - Competitive Promotional Examinations

Section 12 - Provisional Appointments

Section 13 - Provisional Appointments; Notice; Filing

Section 14 - Provisional Appointments; Authorization; Reports; Length of Service; Termination

Section 15 - Provisional Promotions

Section 16 - Scope of Examinations; Marks; Appointments Based Solely on Training and Experience

Section 17 - Persons With Bachelor's Degrees; Examination; Eligible List; Certification

Section 18 - Notice of Examinations for Original Appointments; Posting

Section 19 - Notice of Examination for Promotional Appointments; Posting

Section 20 - Applications for Examination or Registration; Fees; Requests for Information

Section 21 - Educational and Physical Requirements; Eligibility Based on Gender

Section 22 - Passing Requirements of Examinations; Credits; Requests for Review

Section 23 - Review of Examination Papers; Errors

Section 24 - Appeals; Petitions

Section 25 - Eligible Lists; Certification; Refusal to Accept Employment

Section 26 - Order of Persons on Eligible Lists; Veteran's Preference; Disabled Veterans; Fire and Police Service

Section 27 - Appointment or Promotion; Manner of Selection

Section 28 - Labor Service Applicants; Eligibility; Age Limit; Veteran's Preference

Section 28a - Appointment of Apprentice Lineman; Age Restrictions

Section 29 - Labor Service Appointments; Promotional Bulletins

Section 30 - Promotional Appointments From Labor Service to Official Service

Section 31 - Emergency Appointments; Renewal

Section 32 - Emergency Appointments to Laborer Positions; Renewal

Section 33 - Seniority; Computing Length of Service

Section 34 - Probationary Periods

Section 35 - Transfers

Section 36 - Transfers From Official Service to Labor Service Positions

Section 37 - Leaves of Absence

Section 38 - Unauthorized Leaves of Absence; Reports; Separation From Employment; Review

Section 39 - Separation From Employment; Lack of Work or Money; Abolition of Position; Disability

Section 39a - Conditional Employees

Section 40 - Reemployment List

Section 41 - Discharge; Removal; Suspension; Transfer; Abolition of Office; Reduction of Rank or Pay; Hearings; Review

Section 41a - Discharge, Removal or Suspension; Hearing Before Disinterested Hearing Officer; Review

Section 42 - Complaints; Hearings; Jurisdiction; Filing of Civil Action

Section 43 - Hearings Before Commission

Section 44 - Judicial Review

Section 45 - Reimbursement for Defense Expenses

Section 46 - Reinstatement; Hearings

Section 47 - Blind Persons; Examinations; Temporary Appointment of Persons With an Intellectual Disability

Section 47a - Disadvantaged Persons; Certified Work-Training Programs; Examination; Eligible Lists; Appointment

Section 48 - Civil Service Offices and Positions; Exemptions

Section 48a - Career Management Service Program; Designation of Positions; Selection of Persons; Annual Listing; Performance Appraisal System

Section 49 - Students in Temporary Position Appropriate to Academic Interest; Appointments to Certain State Positions Subject to or Exempt From Civil Service Law; Confidential Employees

Section 50 - Persons Ineligible for Civil Service

Section 51 - Cities; Civil Service Offices and Positions

Section 52 - Towns; Civil Service Offices and Positions

Section 53 - Application of Chapter to Municipalities; School Districts; Elections

Section 54 - Petitions; Number of Signatures; Filing

Section 55 - Signatures to Petitions; Certification; Objections

Section 56 - Incumbents; Status; Seniority; Transfer of School Employees

Section 57 - Permanent Positions in City Labor Service; Removal of Intermittent Junior Building Custodians; Certification of Inspector of Wires

Section 58 - Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters; Qualification

Section 58a - Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters; Maximum Age Restrictions

Section 59 - Municipal Police Officers and Fire Fighters; Examinations; Appointments and Promotions

Section 60 - Intermittent or Reserve Police or Fire Forces; Appointments to Regular Force

Section 60a - Intermittent or Reserve Police or Fire Force Members; Effect of Refusals to Accept Employment on Permanent Basis in Regular Police or Fire Force

Section 61 - Municipal Police Officers or Fire Fighters; Probationary Periods; Evaluation

Section 61a - Police Officer and Firefighter Health and Physical Fitness Standards

Section 61b - Wellness Program for Police Officers and Firefighters

Section 62 - Punishment Duty; Police Officers or Fire Fighters

Section 62a - Punishment Duty; Police Officers or Firefighters Employed by Cities or Towns

Section 63 - Paraplegic Persons; Municipal Police or Fire Departments; Appointments

Section 64 - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police; Qualifications

Section 65 - Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police; Appointments and Promotions; Probationary Periods; Evaluation

Section 66 - Labor Service Positions in Highways Department; Certification; Promotions; Districts

Section 67 - Annual List of Civil Service Employees; Posting; Enforcement; Penalties

Section 68 - Reports of Appointment, Promotion, Demotion, Leaves of Absence, Etc.

Section 69 - Reports of Appointment or Employment by Appointing Authority Upon Request; Enforcement; Penalties

Section 70 - Records; Examination Papers; Inspection; Destruction

Section 71 - Rosters of Positions; Filing; Use; Penalties

Section 72 - Investigations; Subpoenas; Summoning Witnesses, Etc.

Section 73 - Violations; Notice; Writs of Mandamus

Section 74 - Prohibited Activities; Penalties

Section 75 - Rights of Municipal Employees

Section 76 - Positions Subject to Federal Merit System Standards; Minimum Qualifications

Section 77 - Enforcement of Laws and Rules