Chapter 41

Section 1. Every town at its annual meeting shall in every year when the term of office of any incumbent expires, and except when other provision is made by law or by charter, choose by ballot from its registered voters the following town officers for the following terms of offic…

Section 10. If there is a failure at an election to choose a town officer, except a selectman, or if a person chosen shall not accept such office, or if a vacancy shall occur, the town may at any meeting elect a person to such office. If, at an election of town officers for which…

Section 100. Upon application by a fire fighter or police officer of a city, town or fire or water district, or in the event of the physical or mental incapacity or death of such fire fighter or police officer, by someone in his behalf, the board or officer of such city, town or …

Section 100B. Any city operating under a Plan D or Plan E charter which accepts this section by the affirmative vote of two thirds of all the members of its city council, and any other city which accepts this section by a majority vote of its city council with the approval of its…

Section 100G. Any city operating under a Plan D or Plan E charter, by the affirmative vote of a majority of its city council or any other city, by a majority vote of its city council with the approval of its mayor, and any town, by a majority vote at an annual or special town mee…

Section 100H. If an action is brought against a law enforcement officer because of damage caused by a dog which said officer was caring for or maintaining in connection with his official duties, the political subdivision employing said officer shall indemnify him for expenses or …

Section 101. If a town so votes under section twenty-one the selectmen shall appoint a suitable person as chief of the police and fire departments who may be designated as commissioner of public safety. He shall have authority, subject to the approval of the selectmen, to appoint…

Section 101A. Subsequent to January first, nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, no person who smokes any tobacco product shall be eligible for appointment as a police officer or firefighter in a city or town and no person so appointed after said date shall continue in such office o…

Section 102. If a town votes under section twenty-one to have its selectmen act as a board of health, the selectmen may appoint an inspector of health, who shall assist the selectmen in the performance of their duties as such board.

Section 102A. In any town of not exceeding three thousand inhabitants which votes under section twenty-one to have its selectmen act as a board of health and which accepts this section by vote in town meeting, the selectmen may appoint the school physician to be inspector of heal…

Section 102B. In any town of five thousand inhabitants or more which accepts this section, the board of health shall appoint a full-time inspector of health who shall devote his time to the enforcement of the laws and regulations related to public health and such other duties as …

Section 103. A city which accepts this section in the manner provided in the following section or has accepted corresponding provisions of earlier laws, or a town which accepts this section or has accepted corresponding provisions of earlier laws, may establish a purchasing depar…

Section 104. A city council, with the approval of the mayor, may vote to submit the preceding section to the qualified voters of the city at any annual city election, in the form of the following question to be placed upon the ballot: If a majority of the voters voting thereon sh…

Section 105. Towns which accept gifts or bequests or appropriate money for the purpose of properly commemorating the services and sacrifices of the soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen who have served the country in war or persons who have rendered military service for the commo…

Section 106. If the town provides by vote or by-law that the tree warden shall be appointed, such appointment shall be made by the board of selectmen. The term of such appointment shall be for three years. In any city or in a town which exceeds ten thousand inhabitants and which …

Section 106A. In any town of not exceeding three thousand inhabitants which accepts this section by vote in town meeting, the selectmen may appoint the school physician to be the town physician. Such appointment shall not bar the school physician from the general practice of his …

Section 106B. A town at its annual town meeting may by by-law establish a capital planning committee. Said by-law shall prescribe the composition, mode of appointment or election and terms of the members of said capital planning committee. Said committee shall annually review the…

Section 107. A person who is elected town clerk shall be sworn either by the moderator or by a justice of the peace, and shall enter upon the performance of his duties on the seventh day succeeding his election or as soon thereafter as he is qualified and shall hold office during…

Section 108. The salary and compensation of all elected officers of a town shall be fixed annually by vote of the town at an annual town meeting, but said salary or compensation may be revised by a two-thirds vote of any special town meeting called to conduct business later in th…

Section 108A. A city by ordinance and a town by by-law may establish, and from time to time amend, a plan classifying any or all positions, other than those filled by popular election and those under the direction and control of the school committee, into groups and classes doing…

Section 108B. In a town in which a district has been created and is operating under a law which requires the assessors of the town to assess district taxes and the collector of taxes of the town to collect such taxes, such district shall annually appropriate money for the salary …

Section 108C. A town may consolidate, in a single chapter or article, all provisions of its by-laws pertaining to the administration of its personnel, including, among other things, the compensation plan established pursuant to paragraph (b) of section five of chapter thirty-one,…

Section 108D. Notwithstanding the provisions of section thirty-three A of chapter forty-four and any other general or special law to the contrary, the minimum annual compensation of each permanent fire fighter in the fire department of any city or town, except one who by virtue o…

Section 108E. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the minimum annual compensation of each regular police officer of the police department of any city or town shall be not less than the following: For the first year of service four thousan…

Section 108F. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the minimum annual compensation of each fire fighter, permanently employed, in the fire department of any city or town which accepts the provisions of this section, except a fire fighter w…

Section 108G. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, the minimum annual compensation of each regular police officer of the police department of any city or town which accepts the provisions of this section shall be not less than the followin…

Section 108H. In any city or town which accepts the provisions of this section, a member of the fire department assigned to photographic work in said department shall, after completing one year's service in such assignment, receive in addition to his annual salary as a fire fight…

Section 108I. In any city or town which accepts the provisions of this section, a member of the police department assigned to photographic or fingerprint identification work in said department shall, after completion of one year's service in such assignment, receive in addition t…

Section 108J. In any city or town which accepts this section, male and female employees in classified civil service employed in the same grades who, in the opinion of the personnel administrator, are doing the same type of work with the same preparation and training shall receive…

Section 108K. A female regular police officer in a city or town shall receive compensation equal, in all respects, to the compensation received by a male regular police officer of equal rank and seniority.

Section 108L. There is hereby established a career incentive pay program offering base salary increases to regular full-time members of the various city and town police departments as a reward for furthering their education in the field of policework. Police career incentive base…

Section 108M. A city or town which employs a permanent police officer who is enrolled as a student in good standing in a police, law enforcement, criminal justice or police career oriented course of study at a college or university accredited by the New England Association of Col…

Section 108N. Notwithstanding the provision of any general or special law to the contrary, any city or town acting through its board of selectmen or city council or mayor with the approval of the city council, as the case may be, may establish an employment contract for a period …

Section 108O. Any city or town acting through its appointing authority, may establish an employment contract for the salary, fringe benefits, and other conditions of employment, including but not limited to, severance pay, relocation expenses, reimbursement for expenses incurred …

Section 108P. In any city, town or district that accepts this section, a collector or a treasurer who has completed the necessary courses of study and training and has been awarded a certificate by the Massachusetts Collectors and Treasurers Association as a certified Massachuset…

Section 109. No resignation of a town or district officer shall be deemed effective unless and until such resignation is filed with the town or district clerk or such later time certain as may be specified in such resignation. Upon receipt of a resignation the clerk shall notify …

Section 109A. Every officer or employee of a city, town or district required to furnish a fidelity bond with a surety or sureties shall furnish a bond with a surety company authorized to transact business in the commonwealth, as surety. The premium on such bond shall in every cas…

Section 11. As used in this section, the term ''vacancy'' includes a failure to elect. If a vacancy occurs in any town office, other than the office of selectman, town clerk, treasurer, collector of taxes or auditor, the selectmen shall in writing appoint a person to fill such va…

Section 110. The city council of a city may provide that the employees, including laborers, mechanics and all other classes of workmen employed by the city, shall be allowed one half holiday in each week without loss of pay during such portion of the year as the city council dete…

Section 110A. Any public office in any city or town may remain closed on any or all Saturdays as may be determined from time to time, in a city by the city council, subject to the provisions of the city charter, or, in a town, by vote of the town at a special or regular town meet…

Section 111. In any city or town which has accepted chapter two hundred and seventeen of the acts of nineteen hundred and fourteen or has accepted this section in any form, or which accepts this section in the manner hereinafter provided, or has accepted earlier provisions of thi…

Section 111A. In any city or town which accepts this section or has accepted corresponding provisions of earlier law, on January first in each year every member of its regular or permanent police or fire force who has been such for at least six months shall become entitled to a v…

Section 111B. Any foreman, laborer, workman or mechanic regularly employed by any city or town which accepts this section shall, when entitled thereto, be granted sick leaves aggregating not more than fifteen days in any year, exclusive of Sundays and holidays, without loss of pa…

Section 111C. Any employee of a city or town who is a veteran, as defined in section one of chapter thirty-one, may, when authorized by the mayor or selectmen, attend, without loss of pay, the funeral or memorial services of a veteran, as so defined, or of any person dying under …

Section 111D. In any city or town which accepts this section, all members of its regular police or fire force may be granted a vacation without loss of pay. Such vacations shall be computed in the following manner:— For five years' service, but less than ten years' service, a vac…

Section 111E. Whenever the employment of any person subject to section one hundred and eleven or sections one hundred and eleven A, one hundred and eleven D or one hundred and eleven G is terminated during a year by dismissal through no fault or delinquency on his part or by resi…

Section 111F. Whenever a police officer or fire fighter of a city, town, or fire or water district is incapacitated for duty because of injury sustained in the performance of his duty without fault of his own, or a police officer or fire fighter assigned to special duty by his su…