# lay-off question



## Guest (Apr 4, 2006)

Hello. Does anyone know how long a Police Officer has to wait (In Mass.) until he/she gains their seniority back, As far as a layoff list goes, when they voluntarily transfer to a new department ? . I have heard 1 year and 3 years but cannot find it anywhere.


----------



## 7MPOC (Mar 16, 2004)

mark41671 said:


> Hello. Does anyone know how long a Police Officer has to wait (In Mass.) until he/she gains their seniority back, As far as a layoff list goes, when they voluntarily transfer to a new department ? . I have heard 1 year and 3 years but cannot find it anywhere.


I hope Im understanding your question right but if not I will give you all the info I know.

If you are laid off from a civil service position you go on the state layoff list for 2 years, that means for 2 years every civil service dept. that calls for a list will get the layoffs first. If they dont accept a job they get removed from the list after 2 years. However you have 10 years from your layoff that the town that layed you off has to call you back to work whenever they plan to hire. In either case your original seniority date never changes.

If you lateral transfer you have to stay in the new department for 3 years to regain your original civil service seniority date.

I hope this helps.... Its buried in the civil service section on the HRD website if you have some time to snoop around.


----------



## Guest (Apr 5, 2006)

Thanks for the response. I should have explained my situation better. Here it is, and let me know what you think please. I have been working for a Police Department since 8/04. My department took two lateral transfers last october. One with 9 years of service and the other with 17 years. This town is facing a budget crisis for next years budget. As of now, both the transfers are below me in seniority as far as layoffs go. I have heard that the two transfers gain there seniority back in either 1 year or 3 years after there transfer date. (as far as getting laid off). Meaning it's either after 1 year or 3 years that I will be last on the list and first to get laid off. It makes a huge difference, since if they gain it back after 1 year, I may be laid off come this next years budget. If it's three years, I should be safe and hopefully, we will put some new hires on, in the next three years and I will have some people below me for layoffs. Again, any info would be appreciated. I did check the HRD website last evening and I didn't find a section to address this situation. Thanks again


7MPOC said:


> I hope Im understanding your question right but if not I will give you all the info I know.
> 
> If you are laid off from a civil service position you go on the state layoff list for 2 years, that means for 2 years every civil service dept. that calls for a list will get the layoffs first. If they dont accept a job they get removed from the list after 2 years. However you have 10 years from your layoff that the town that layed you off has to call you back to work whenever they plan to hire. In either case your original seniority date never changes.
> 
> ...


----------



## 7MPOC (Mar 16, 2004)

Ok, just found this hope it helps. Its kind of ambiguous but all the civil service info you need is under Chaper 31. Do a MGL chapter and link search on yahoo and you will get the states main page. Then just plug in Chapter 31 and read away! Thats how I learned everything, just kept reading.

*If the employment of such full-time employee is changed by transfer from one departmental unit of the commonwealth to another not under the same appointing authority, from one departmental unit to another not within the same department in a city or town, from one city or town to another, from a city or town to the commonwealth, or from the commonwealth to a city or town, the length of service of such employee shall be computed in the following manner: (1) if the transfer was made upon the request of the employee, the length of service shall be computed from the date of such transfer, but if the employee completes three years of service in the new employment, from the date which was used to compute the employee's length of service immediately prior to the transfer; (2) if the transfer was not upon the request of the employee, the length of service shall be computed from the date which was used to compute the employee's length of service immediately prior to the transfer. In determining the seniority of a police officer or firefighter for the purpose of reduction in rank or reduction in force, his ranking shall be based on his length of service in the fire department in which such reduction is to take place. *


----------



## 7MPOC (Mar 16, 2004)

I just did some more reading, not sure if Im reading it correct but it appears that as far as layoffs they use the date they arrived at the department, so you should be all set???


----------



## Guest (Apr 5, 2006)

Thank you for the information and time you put in looking for it. I appreciate it !!!!! The info puts my mind at ease a bit.


----------

