Federal & State Regulations | Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) - Massachusetts

State Info

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

Polygraph protection

Polygraph protection provisions apply to employees and prospective employees in the private-sector and in state and local governments. Employers may not require as a condition of employment or continued employment that an applicant or employee takes a polygraph examination. Each employment application must show, in clearly legible print, the following notice: “It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.''

Polygraph examiners

Massachusetts licensing rules for private detectives apply to polygraph examiners. The license application requires three reputable citizens to certify that the applicant is honest and of good moral character, the responses on the application are believed to be true, and the applicant has been employed doing investigative work for at least three years.