Section 22 Passing requirements of examinations; credits; requests for review - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 22. The administrator shall determine the passing requirements of examinations. In any competitive examination, an applicant shall be given credit for employment or experience in the position for which the examination is held. In any examination, the applicant shall be allowed seven days after the date of such examination to file with the administrator a training and experience sheet and to receive credit for such training and experience as of the time designated by the administrator.

Except as otherwise provided by sections sixteen and seventeen, an applicant may request the administrator to conduct one or more of the following reviews relating to an examination: (1) a review of the marking of the applicant’s answers to essay and multiple choice questions; (2) a review of the marking of the applicant’s training and experience; (3) a review of a finding by the administrator that the applicant did not meet the entrance requirements for the examination; provided, however, that the administrator may deny such request in the case of a competitive examination for original appointment if, at the time such request is made, the administrator is currently accepting applications for a subsequent examination of the same type for the same position.

Such request for review of the marking of the applicant’s answers to essay questions, of the marking of the applicant’s training and experience, or of a finding that the applicant did not meet the entrance requirements for appointment to the position shall be filed with the administrator no later than seventeen days after the date of mailing by the administrator of the notice to the applicant of his mark on the examination or his failure to meet the entrance requirements for appointment to the position.

An applicant may request the administrator to conduct a review of whether an examination taken by such applicant was a fair test of the applicant’s fitness actually to perform the primary or dominant duties of the position for which the examination was held, provided that such request shall be filed with the administrator no later than seven days after the date of such examination.

The administrator shall determine the form of a request for review. Each such request shall state the specific allegations on which it is based and the books or other publications relied upon to support the allegations. References to books or other publications shall include the title, author, edition, chapter and page number. Such reference shall also be accompanied by a complete quotation of that portion of the book or other publication which is being relied upon by the applicant. The administrator may require applicants to submit copies of such books or publications, or portions thereof, for his review.