Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 31 § 7
Each promotional appointment within the official service shall be made pursuant to section eight or after certification from an eligible list established as a result of one of the following types of examinations: (a) a departmental promotional examination pursuant to section nine, (b) an alternate departmental promotional examination pursuant to section ten or (c) a competitive promotional examination pursuant to section eleven, provided that promotional appointments in such police and fire forces of cities and towns as are within the official service shall be made pursuant to section fifty-nine or section sixty-five. An appointing authority desiring to make a promotional appointment shall recommend the type of examination to be utilized.
An appointing authority desiring to make a promotional appointment within the official service, other than a promotional appointment pursuant to section eight, shall, if a suitable eligible list exists, submit a requisition to the administrator. Upon receipt of such requisition the administrator shall certify from such list the names of persons eligible for such promotional appointment. If no suitable list exists, or if the list contains the names of less than three persons who are eligible for and willing to accept employment, the appointing authority may request authorization to make a provisional appointment pursuant to sections twelve, thirteen, and fourteen or a provisional promotion pursuant to section fifteen.
An appointing authority may make a temporary promotional appointment to a temporary position or to fill a temporary vacancy in a permanent position. A promotional appointment made pursuant to this paragraph shall not be deemed to interrupt the period of service in the permanent position from which such promotional appointment was made where such service is required to establish eligibility for a promotional examination.
An appointing authority may make a promotional appointment of an employee in the labor service to a position in the official service pursuant to the provisions of section thirty.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 31, § 7