Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 31, § 14

Upon receipt of the notice described in section thirteen, the administrator or the secretary in charge of the executive office, as the case may be, may authorize a provisional appointment if he determines that the contents of the notice are satisfactory. If the administrator or secretary and the appointing authority which filed the notice agree that the duties, qualifications and entrance requirements are correct as stated in the notice and if no person who meets the entrance requirements can be found for provisional appointment to the position pending the holding of an examination and the establishment of an eligible list, the position shall remain unfilled until such eligible list is established; provided, however, that if an emergency exists, and the appointing authority describes the reasons for the emergency, states that such position must be filled because of such emergency, and submits a statement which describes to the satisfaction of the administrator the steps which have been taken to find a person who meets the entrance requirements for the position, the administrator may authorize a provisional appointment of a person who does not meet such entrance requirements. Such authorization in the case of such emergency shall not constitute a finding that the person so provisionally appointed is eligible to take the examination for such position.

Each provisional appointment shall be reported by the appointing authority to the administrator. A provisional appointment may be terminated by the administrator at any time and, except as provided in the preceding paragraph, shall be terminated forthwith whenever the administrator or secretary shall determine that the person appointed does not, in fact, possess the approved qualifications or satisfy the approved requirements for the position. The administrator shall have the authority to terminate a provisional appointment which was approved by a secretary of an executive office.

Except as otherwise provided by section fifteen, no provisional employment in a position shall be authorized, approved, or continued for more than thirty days following a certification from an eligible list if such list contains the names of three persons eligible for and willing to accept appointment to such position.

A provisional appointment shall be terminated if there is a change in the nature of the employment or in the salary of the person who has been provisionally appointed.