NOW AVAILABLE: New Payroll Public Records Exemption alert in HR/CMS, updates to policy and form
As of November 27, 2023, the Office of the Comptroller and the Human Resources Division have rolled out a new feature in HR/CMS. Core users assigned Public Records Exemption access (MA_PUBLIC_PIR_U/D) will now receive an alert when review is due of a Payroll Public Records Exemption for an employee in their department.
Notification
Core users assigned Public Records Exemption access will be alerted to review an employee’s Payroll Public Records Exemption if any of the following events happens:
- An exempt employee transfers into the agency
- An exempt employee changes positions within the agency
- An exempt employee leaves state service
- Five years have passed since the exemption was granted
Users assigned Public Record Exemption access will receive an email notification as well as a notification in the top-right corner of HR/CMS. Only users with access to the MA Public Record Exempt (MPRE) panel in HR/CMS will receive these alerts.
Employees with a Public Records Exemption will not receive any notification that a review is required.
NOTE: If a department has an employee whose Payroll Public Records Exemption has expired, the exemption will remain in place but the core user assigned Public Records Exemption access will receive a notification for review when the alert launches next week. Exemptions must be reviewed every five years.
Resources
As part of this change, the Payroll Public Records Exemption Policy has been updated.
A job aid for submission, application, and review of the Payroll Public Exemption has been updated [PowerDMS login required].
Questions about the alert should be directed to [email protected].
About the Payroll Public Exemption
Under the public records law, M. G. L. c. 4, § 7(26), an employee’s name, title, salary and department are considered public records.
The personal safety of certain victims of adjudicated crimes or domestic violence, sexual assault, or rape may be compromised when this type of information is released. For this reason, M.G.L. c. 66, § 10B exempts the following information from public records disclosure: the home address, telephone number, personal email address or place of employment or education of victims of adjudicated crimes, of victims of domestic violence and of persons providing or training in family planning services and the name, home address, telephone number, personal email address or place of employment or education of a family member of any of the foregoing.