The Employment, Placement, and Staffing Agencies Program protects the rights of workers being placed by employment, placement, and staffing agencies, and ensures that these agencies use fair, ethical, and legal business practices. The program also seeks to assist employment, placement, and staffing agencies to comply with their legal obligations under Massachusetts law by being a resource for them in helping them to navigate the Employment Agency Law and the Temporary Workers Right to Know Law (TWRTK).
The difference between an employment agency, a placement agency, and a staffing agency:
An employment agency is any person who conducts in whole or in part a business which, for a fee, procures or attempts to procure permanent or temporary help or employment or engagements, or registers persons seeking such help, employment, or engagement, or gives information as to where and of whom such help, employment, or engagement may be procured, where a fee is exacted or attempted to be collected from a job applicant or worker, or if the agency places domestic employees. A domestic employee is any worker who is paid directly by a household, family, or individual to perform work of a domestic nature, including, but not limited to, housekeeping, home management, nanny services, child monitoring, caretaking, laundering, cooking, home companion services, house sitting, and butler services for members of households or their guests in or about private homes. Domestic Employee does not include a person who performs services of a domestic nature as an employee of the business that places him, or a licensed medical professional, such as a medical doctor, registered or licensed practical nurse, or similarly trained and licensed individual who performs services relating to the delivery of specialized medical care.
A placement agency is any person who conducts in whole or in part a business in which a fee is exacted or attempted to be collected for procuring or attempting to procure permanent or temporary help or employment or engagements; or registering individuals seeking such help, employment, or engagement; or giving information as to where and of whom such help, employment, or engagement may be procured, but who: (a) employs such individuals for the purpose of furnishing part time or temporary help; or (b) does not assess job placement fees to any job applicant or worker; or (c) conducts a business which consists solely of providing employers or prospective employers, by electronic means, biographical information, background and experience of applicants for temporary employment, help or engagement.
Agencies that procure or provide temporary or part time employment to any individual who then works under the supervision or direction of a work site employer are staffing agencies. There is not a “staffing agency license” or “staffing agency registration;” staffing agencies must always be either licensed as employment agencies or registered as placement agencies with the Department of Labor Standards. Staffing agencies are also subject to the Temporary Workers Right to Know Law (TWRTK) (M.G.L. c. 149, sec. 159C).
Staffing agencies must be either licensed as employment agencies or registered as placement agencies by the Department of Labor Standards in order to conduct business in the state, regardless of whether or not the agency has a physical office within state borders, in accordance with the Employment Agency Law, M.G.L. c. 140, §§46B and Regulation, 454 CMR 24.00.
Registration, licensing, and worker safety information
- Link to ePLACE for Initial license and registration application
- Sample Job Order Forms (in multiple languages)
- Notice of Temporary Workers’ Rights under the TWRTK
- Employment Agency and Temporary Workers Right to Know (TWRTK) Regulations - 454 CMR 24.00
- Employment Agency Law, M.G.L. c. 140, §§46A-46R
- Temporary Workers Right to Know Law (TWRTK), M.G.L. c. 149, §159C
- Authorized Signatory Form
On August 7, 2012, the Temporary Workers Right to Know (TWRTK) bill was signed into law. The effective date of this law, which amended Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 149, Section 159C, was January 31, 2013. DLS administers the TWRTK, while the Office of the Attorney General is the enforcing entity. DLS promulgated regulations to implement the TWRTK which further spells out the obligations of staffing agencies.
The difference between a license and a registration
Agencies which meet the definition of “employment agency” under 454 CMR 24.02 and M.G.L. c. 140, §46A must be licensed. Agencies which meet any exception to the term “employment agency” must be registered. Both credentials are valid for one year. Obtaining each credential requires completion of an application sent to the Department of Labor Standards (DLS) for processing. Based upon your business model, DLS will advise you whether you are required by law to be licensed or registered.
If you operate a home care agency—do you need an employment agency license or a placement agency registration?
The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (DLS) issued a regulation at 454 CMR 24.00, published December 19, 2014, which no longer requires licensure or registration of agencies that directly employ workers to perform services of a domestic nature. Licensure is required of agencies that place or refer domestic employees. The term “domestic employee” is defined as: “any worker who is paid directly by a household, family, or individual to perform work of a domestic nature, including, but not limited to, housekeeping, home management, nanny services, child monitoring, caretaking, laundering, cooking, home companion services, house sitting, and butler services for members of households or their guests in or about private homes. Domestic Employee does not include a person who performs services of a domestic nature as an employee of the business that places him, or a licensed medical professional, such as a medical doctor, registered or licensed practical nurse, or similarly trained and licensed individual who performs services relating to the delivery of specialized medical care.
Where to apply for a home care license
For information about operating a home care business in Massachusetts, including third-party quality standards and accrediting programs, you may wish to contact one of the following industry organizations:
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Home Care Aide Council |
Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts |
How to renew my license/registration with DLS for a home care agency
DLS recognizes that for many years, it had issued employment agency licenses and placement agency registrations to many home care agencies which directly employed their workers. At no time was DLS ever issuing a “home care license” to any business. The license which many home care agencies received from DLS was an employment agency license or placement agency registration in accordance with M.G.L. c. 140, §§46A-46R. As a consequence of the new regulation, home care agencies which employ their workers are no longer considered to be employment or placement agencies under M.G.L. c. 140, §46A or 454 CMR 24.02.
The Department of Labor Standards inspects employment, placement, and staffing agencies
M.G.L. c. 140, § 46A and 46Q, M.G.L. c. 149, § 159C(f), and 454 CMR 24.00 give DLS broad inspection authority over both licensed and registered agencies as well as staffing agencies.
Applicant fees:
An applicant fee is any money or other valuable consideration paid or promised to be paid by an applicant or worker to an agency for employment procurement services rendered by the agency. Examples of fees may include, but are not limited to: a modeling agency commission; a “headhunting” fee charged by an employment agency to a job applicant for securing a permanent employment with a company.
You may not charge a fee to an individual to fill out an application to be listed with your agency:
This is considered to be a registration fee which is prohibited by law.
How to become a licensed placement agency:
In order to obtain a license you must complete an online application. Licenses and registrations are valid for one year.
if your business uses more than one name, you must I fill out an application for each name:
Each name that your business uses must be licensed separately.
If your business has more than one location, you must I fill out an application for each location:
Each location that your business uses must be licensed separately.
How to know when your license is about to expire:
While DLS at this time does send a courtesy reminder 45 days prior to one's expiration date, it is the responsibility of each business to track its own expiration date. The expiration date of each license and registration issued is printed on the license certificate. Renewal applications should be completed 30 days prior to the expiration of your license in order to ensure that your business maintains licensure as required by the Employment Agency Law.
If you do not renew your license on time:
Failure to possess and maintain a valid license is a violation of state law and continued operation may result in civil fines and criminal penalties.
Making changes/amendments to your application online once submitted, if your company information changes:
At this time changes must be made by Employment Agency staff with paperwork submitted to them.
You must notify DLS if you move your business:
Mail the following items in a packet to DLS: (1) a letter on letterhead listing the former and new address and the effective date of the new address, (2) proof of your having filed amended corporate papers with the Secretary of the Commonwealth or an amended Business Certificate with the city or town, (3) an amended bond certificate with the new address (if applicable) and (4) a copy of your workers' compensation policy declaration page reflecting the new address. DLS will issue your business a replacement certificate reflecting the new address.
If you lost your Registration Certificate:
You can print out another certificate from your ePLACE account.
You may operate an employment agency from a home office:
However, 454 CMR 24.05(2)(a) and (b) does not allow employment agencies to host job applicant interviews or store agency records in a room used for living purposes, a room where boarders or lodgers are kept, a room where meals are served, a room where persons sleep or a room where intoxicating liquors are sold. Employment agency records shall be kept in an area of sufficient space to contain them, according to a filing system that permits expeditious retrieval, but limits to the extent possible, unauthorized access.
Who is responsible for keeping temporary workers safe?
Massachusetts Department of Public Health's safety alert for temporary workers
Massachusetts Department of Public Health's safety alert for temporary workers (Spanish)
Massachusetts Department of Public Health's safety alert for temporary workers (Portuguese)
OSHA Webinar: Protecting the Safety and Health of Temporary Workers Webinar presented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the American Staffing Association July 18, 2013 as part of OSHA’s initiative to protect temporary workers.
Recommended Practices for Protecting Temporary Workers Best practices for protecting temporary workers from NIOSH and OSHA
OSHA Bulletin: Protecting Temporary Workers
OSHA Bulletin: Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Requirements for Temporary Workers The Bureau of Labor Statistics preliminary data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries shows fatal work injuries involving contractor worker fatalities, including temporary help service workers, accounted for 708 or 16% of the 4,383 fatal work injuries in the U.S. reported in 2012. Additional details are available at http://bls.gov/iif/home.htm.
Related links
- Theatrical booking licenses are issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety
- Au Pair programs are run by the Unted States Department of State
- Day Care and Group Care Licensing and Referral is regulated by the Executive Office of Education Early Education and Care
- An Advisory from the Office of the Attorney General regarding the Independent Contractor Law in Massachusetts
- Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI)
- Workers' Compensation Insurance issues: Massachusetts Division of Industrial Accidents (DIA)
- Employer's Guide To Workers' Compensation
- Massachusetts Wage and Hours Law Poster
- Fair Employment Poster from the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)
- State Tax Laws and Enforcement Department of Revenue (DOR)
- Guide to Employer Tax Obligations
- Department of Labor Standards Minimum wage regulation
- Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
- Injured Workers Guide to Workers' Compensation
- OSHA Webinar: Protecting the Safety and Health of Temporary Workers Webinar presented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American Staffing Association July 18, 2013 as part of OSHA’s Initiative to Protect Temporary Workers.