Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 41, § 41

No treasurer or other fiscal officer of any town or city shall pay any salary or compensation to any person in the service or employment of the town or city unless the payroll, bill or account for such salary or compensation shall be sworn to by the head of the department or the person immediately responsible for the appointment, employment, promotion, or transfer of the persons named therein, or, in the case of the absence or disability of the head of the department or of such person, then by a person designated by the head of the department and approved by the board of selectmen in towns, and by the mayor in cities, or by the city manager in cities operating under a Plan D or Plan E charter. Except as otherwise provided in a collective bargaining agreement, the treasurer or other fiscal officer may pay the payroll to an employee on a biweekly or semimonthly basis. A commission, committee or board of trustees in a city or town, including a city council, board of aldermen or common council in a city, may for purposes of this section designate any one of its members to make oath to a payroll, bill or account for salary or compensation of its members or employees. This provision shall not limit the responsibility of each member of any such body in the event of a noncompliance with this section.