Conflict of Interest Law/Ethics

Mandatory Education and Training Guidelines

Chapter 268A and Chapter 28 of the Acts of 2009, the Conflict of Interest Law, imposes mandatory education and training requirements on public employers and employees. The law authorizes the Ethics Commission to establish procedures to implement and ensure compliance with these requirements, and these implementation procedures are issued pursuant to that authority. Included in the requirements are the fact that each year, every state, county, and municipal employee must be given a summary of the conflict of interest law prepared by the Ethics Commission and every two years, they must complete an online training program prepared by the Commission.  

The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission rolled out a new Conflict of Interest Law online training program and learning portal in January 2023. 

Complete the Conflict of Interest Law Online Training

The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission rolled out a Conflict of Interest Law online training program and learning portal for all volunteer members of boards and committees and town employees.

The rollout of this training program will require all volunteers and employees to create an online account and take the training this year, regardless if you took the training last year. You must also acknowledge that you received the summary of the conflict of interest law. You will have 30 days to complete the training and the acknowledgment after your (re-)appointment. The training will take approximately one hour to complete.

Going forward, the state ethics training portal will track compliance for each volunteer and employee. As with the old program, the training will need to be taken every two years and the acknowledgment of receipt of the conflict of interest law will remain an annual sign-off. Volunteers and employees will receive an automatic email from the State Ethics Commission portal when their current certificates are about to expire.

If you have NOT completed the new training program with another municipality

You must create an account to access the Commission’s learning management system to complete the new conflict of interest law online training program and acknowledge receipt of the summary of the conflict of interest law. These requirements can be completed on any computer or mobile device. Completion of these mandatory training and education requirements will be automatically recorded. To fulfill these requirements, please go to the State Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Law Training to set up your user account and complete the training. You do not need to email your certificate to the Town of Hanover; the town will have access to your records.

If you have ALREADY completed the new training program with another municipality

You will need to create an account using a different email address than you used for your account with the other municipality. After you create your account and link it to Hanover, you must email the certificate of completion from the other municipality to your administrative liaison. The administrator for the Hanover ethics training program will update your completion date in the system according to your existing certificate. This will allow Hanover to track your compliance with the State Ethics Commission’s requirements. Please go to the State Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Law Training Portal to fulfill these requirements.

The training will need to be taken every two years and the acknowledgment of receipt of the conflict of interest law will remain an annual sign-off. Employees and volunteer members of boards and committees will receive an automatic email from the State Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Law Training Portal before your current certificates expire.

Questions should be directed to the Town of Hanover Payroll and Benefits Office at payrollbenefits@hanoverschools.org if you are an employee or a board or committee administrative liaison. Please contact the Town Clerk’s Office if you are a municipal volunteer.