Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 31 - Civil Service
Section 5 - Powers and Duties of Administrator

Section 5. In addition to his other powers and duties, imposed upon him by this chapter, chapter seven and chapter thirty the administrator shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) To administer, enforce and comply with the civil service law and rules and the decisions of the commission.
(b) Establish, with the approval of the commission, classification plans for positions in every city and town which are subject to any provisions of this chapter. Upon the establishment of each such classification plan, the administrator shall forthwith make such plan effective. He shall keep said classification plan current and, with like approval, may from time to time amend or change said classification plan. Failure of the commission to approve or reject said amendment or change within ninety days after the request by the administrator for approval thereof shall constitute an approval of said amendment or change.
(c) To approve or disapprove specifications and qualifications submitted by an appointing authority in a city or town or other political subdivision of the commonwealth for any civil service position; and, in the case of any disapproval, to establish such specifications and qualifications when, in his opinion, the appointing authority has failed to furnish satisfactory specifications and qualifications within thirty days after notice to the appointing authority of such disapproval.
(d) To evaluate the qualifications of applicants for civil service positions.
(e) To conduct examinations for purposes of establishing eligible lists.
(f) To establish such mandatory standards for civil service positions as he determines to be necessary, including standards designed to facilitate the employment of handicapped persons, disadvantaged persons and persons who have been convicted of criminal offenses.
(g) To develop and to assist appointing authorities in developing programs and opportunities for the employment of handicapped and disadvantaged persons and for the rehabilitation and employment of persons who have been convicted of criminal offenses.
(h) To maintain records of the following: examinations which have been conducted, eligible lists and registers which have been established, the names of persons certified for original and promotional appointment, and all permanent, provisional and temporary appointments to civil service positions.
(i) When he shall determine to be necessary, to examine or direct the examination of and to investigate payrolls and bills and accounts for the payment of salaries and compensation for service in civil service positions.
(j) On or before October first each year, to submit a written report to the general court, the governor, the commission, and the state library describing the activities of the division during the previous fiscal year. Such report shall include data on examinations and appointments and any recommendations of the administrator for the improvement of the operation of the division.
(k) To establish a recruitment program to recruit applicants for civil service positions.
(l) To delegate the administrative functions of the civil service system, so far as practicable, to the various state agencies and cities and towns of the commonwealth.
(m) To act as a coordinator and technical assistant in the development and training programs to the various state agencies and cities and towns of the commonwealth.
(n) To establish a schedule of fees to be collected from applicants taking non-promotional civil service examinations, and to provide for the waiver of such fees in appropriate instances.
(o) To establish and act as coordinator of a career management service program for employees of the commonwealth.
(p) To provide training programs and technical expertise on the substantive and procedural issues involved in disciplinary actions involving the various state agencies.

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