How long is the 2009 MBTA Job Lottery Open?
The 2009 MBTA Job Lottery opens on Sunday, October 25, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. and will close Saturday, December 19, 2009. Any submissions not postmarked by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on December 19, 2009 will not be valid.
How can I apply to the 2009 MBTA Job Lottery?
You can apply by clicking on the “Apply to the Job Lottery” tab above, completing the online coupon, and clicking the submit button when you are finished. OR, you can choose to print a hardcopy 2009 MBTA Job Lottery Coupon and mail it to the following address:
MBTA Job Lottery
P.O. Box 187289
Hamden, CT 06518
Click here to open and print a 2009 MBTA Job Lottery Coupon.
Again, any submissions not postmarked by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, December 19, 2009 will not be valid.
I have been trying to apply to the lottery online, but keep getting an error message. What should I do?
If you have tried to apply online and are receiving an error message, review your submission and make sure that all required fields are completed. If all required fields are completed and you continue to receive the error message, please contact the 2009 MBTA Job Lottery webmaster via e-mail at LotteryMaster@MBTAJobLottery.com.
How will I receive my lottery numbers for the 2009 MBTA Job Lottery?
Applicants will receive their lottery results, and future lottery communications, based upon their responses on the lottery coupon. One coupon item requires a candidate to respond to the following statement: “I want to receive future communication about the Lottery via (check only one).”
If you select the option “e-mail address above,” your lottery numbers, and all future lottery communications, will be sent to you at your e-mail address.
If you select the option “street address above,” your lottery numbers, and all future lottery communications, will be sent to you at the street address provided on the coupon.
If no option is selected, you will be defaulted to receive your lottery numbers, and all future lottery communications, at the provided street address.
What happens if my name, address, e-mail address and/or telephone number change while the lottery is open or while waiting to be tested?
If you change your name, address, e-mail address, and/or telephone number during the life of the Lottery, you must submit these changes to the Authority by one of the following methods:
1. www.mbtajoblottery.com: Access the website and select the “Update Coupon Information” tab. Enter your PIN number and your last name, as spelled on your correspondence, to access your information and make the necessary updates. If your last name is misspelled on your correspondence, you will have the ability to correct it when you update your contact information.
Click here if you have lost your PIN Number.
2. Mail: Access and print a change of address form. Complete the form and mail it to the following address: MBTA Job Lottery, P.O. Box 187289, Hamden, CT 06518.
Click here to open and print a Update Contact Information Form.
Please note, failure to notify the Authority of these changes using the above methods and the failure to include all required information may result in your disqualification from the Lottery.
I have my lottery numbers. Now what?
Once lottery numbers have been assigned, the Human Resources Department invites candidates to test for the various lottery positions based upon the Authority’s hiring needs. Candidates will be invited in lottery number order starting with the number one (1) for each position.
I have received my letter and it states that my coupon was invalid and I did not receive any lottery numbers. What do I do?
If you have received a letter stating that your coupon was invalid, this means that your coupon had one of the following problems:
• It was postmarked after the deadline.
• The coupon did not identify any positions of interest.
• The coupon did not provide a date of birth, first or last name, or address.
• The date of birth provided indicates that you were not at least eighteen
(18) years of age as of the deadline date of the 2009 MBTA Job Lottery.
As a result of one of these issues, your coupon was deemed “Invalid” and you were not assigned lottery numbers for the 2009 MBTA Job Lottery. You will need to apply to future lotteries for consideration.
If you believe that you have received this letter in error, please write (include your name, address, and date of birth) to the following address and ask for your coupon to be reviewed:
MBTA Job Lottery
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Human Resources Department, Room 4810
10 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
I submitted a lottery coupon and have not received my letter with my lottery numbers. What should I do?
If you have not received your letter, there could be several explanations for that. For example:
• The coupon may not have contained a complete or legible name and/or mailing address.
• Your address may have changed since you submitted your coupon.
If you did not supply a complete mailing address, your coupon was considered “Incomplete” and was not assigned any lottery numbers for the 2009 MBTA Job Lottery. You will need to apply to future lotteries for consideration.
If your address has changed, you will need to update your mailing address. See the question above for details on how to update your contact information.
If I have received a lottery number, does that guarantee that I will be tested and receive a lottery position?
No. Unfortunately, due to the volume of responses the Authority receives to the Lottery, all candidates who receive lottery numbers are not tested and/or hired for lottery positions. Candidates who are not reached during the life of the 2009 MBTA Job Lottery will be notified that the 2009 Lottery is closing and that they must apply to future lotteries to remain active lottery candidates.
How close are you to reaching my lottery number?
Click here to return to the main page to see what lottery numbers have been reached for each position as well as the date of each test. This feature will only be available after lottery numbers have been assigned and distributed to applicants.
My number has been reached but I missed the test date. What do I do?
Lottery policy states that candidates have thirty (30) days from the date of their test to submit a written request to have their test date rescheduled. This written request must be accompanied by documentation that shows why the candidate was unable to attend the session. This request will be reviewed, and the candidate will be notified in writing of the Authority’s decision to reschedule the candidate.
Mail these requests to:
2009 MBTA Job Lottery Reschedule Request
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Human Resources Department, Room 4810
10 Park Plaza
Boston, MA 02116
If I pass the lottery test, will I receive a position?
The lottery test is just one of a number of steps and screens that candidates must complete successfully to receive a position with the MBTA. These other steps and screens include, but may not be limited to: completing an application for employment and other required hiring documents; being interviewed; passing a background screening (criminal background check, driving record check, educational verification, employment verification and references, etc.); and passing a pre-employment physical which includes drug and alcohol screenings. Only when all of these required steps and screens (except for the pre-employment physical and the interview) have been successfully completed can a candidate be considered hire-ready.
What does it mean to be hire-ready?
The Authority tests lottery applicants in order to have an on-hand, hire-ready pool of candidates to fill vacancies when they receive the necessary approvals to be filled. In order to become part of the hire-ready pool, a candidate must pass all of the other pre-employment steps and screens (except the pre-employment physical and the interview). A candidate is placed in the hire-ready pool once this milestone is met. The remaining pre-employment screens will be conducted at the point of hire.
How long will I be hire-ready?
There is no set time frame for how long a candidate will be in the hire ready pool. At times, candidates are processed for hire within a week or two after their test session. Still, it is not uncommon for candidates to wait in a hire-ready status anywhere from three months to a year or more to be hired.
What happens if I accept a lottery position? Am I still eligible for other lottery positions?
If you accept a lottery position and are hired, you are then ineligible for any other lottery position.
If I get hired as a Bus Operator, can I switch to another lottery position once I am hired?
Yes, it is possible to transfer from the Bus Operator position to another lottery position, but very difficult. The ability to transfer to other lottery positions within the Authority is dependant entirely on seniority and may take several years to become eligible. You cannot transfer from another lottery position to a Bus Operator position.
What happens if I refuse a lottery position? Am I still eligible for other positions?
Yes, if you turn down a lottery position, it does not affect your status on any other list.
How long before I go full-time once I am hired?
Your ability to become full-time is based upon seniority and the turnover of employees, and you may be part-time for anywhere from two (2) to four (4) years or more.
How many hours per week do part-time employees work and are all part-time positions split shifts?
Thirty (30) hours per week is the maximum number of hours a part-time employee will work. Most Part-Time (P-T) Bus Operators, P-T Streetcar Motorpersons, P-T Motorpersons, and P-T Customer Service Agents work split shifts. The Full-time Track Laborer position works forty (40) hours per week and does not work split shifts.
What is a split shift?
Employees who work split shifts are required to work two, non-consecutive shifts within one day. These shifts are driven by operational needs and require employees to work one shift during the morning rush hour and a second shift during the evening rush hour. Though you may only work six (6) hours in a given day, those six (6) hours will not be consecutive and may be spread over a large portion of the day. For example, your first shift may require you to work from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. in the morning, and your second shift may then be from 2:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. in the afternoon. In this example, you can see that your work hours for the day are six (6) hours, but those six (6) hours are spread over a ten and half (10.5) hour period. You are only paid for the six (6) work hours.
Is it possible to work only one of the shifts, either the morning or the evening rush hour?
No. All part-time employees must work both halves of the split-shift.
What hours will I be working?
Work hours for Part-time positions vary and are picked every quarter according to seniority. Please be aware that service runs from approximately 5:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m., 365 days a year, including holidays. Your work hours can be at any point between those hours and, depending on your assigned shift, you may be required to report earlier than 5:00 a.m. and stay later than 1:00 a.m..
Because system maintenance occurs twenty-four (24) hours a day, 365 days a year, the Full-time Track Laborer position may require you to work overnights and holidays.
What about training hours?
Training hours are typically Monday-Friday, 8 hours a day. They can be either days or nights.
Do I have to report to work in bad weather?
All lottery positions are classified as “Essential” positions. This requires employees to report to work, on-time for their assigned shift in bad weather, such as snow storms, even if a state of emergency is declared by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Will MBTA service always be available for me to get to work?
While the Authority encourages its employees to use the MBTA transit system, it may not always be available to get you to or from work. For example, if you are scheduled to run one of the first train or first bus routes in the morning, service may not be available to take you to work. You are responsible for getting yourself to your assigned shift on-time.
Will I have my choice of work locations? For example, if I live in Lynn can I work at the Lynn Garage?
The operating departments will work with you as best they can to give you a work location close to your home. However, seniority will control your ability to choose a work location close to home. If there are no spots near where you live, you will be assigned to work where the MBTA needs you to work.
What happens if I cannot complete my training?
If you cannot complete your training because you cannot pass the CDL test (Part-Time Bus Operators Only); because of attendance or disciplinary issues; or because you cannot meet other training requirements, you will be terminated by the MBTA.
What criminal offenses will disqualify me?
Generally, a felony conviction within the past ten (10) years will automatically disqualify you. A misdemeanor conviction within the past five (5) years may disqualify you depending on the nature of the crime and the court’s finding. Basically, any previous conviction of such a nature that raises concerns of public safety will disqualify you. The MBTA will review these cases. Please be aware, the ten (10) or five (5) year period is counted from the date of conviction or the date that time served ends, whichever is closer to the present.
If you are denied employment due to a criminal offense, you will be given the opportunity to appeal that decision.
What driving offenses will disqualify me?
(Not Applicable for Part-Time Motorpersons or Part-time Customer Service Agent.)
Three (3) moving violations in one (1) calendar year within the past three (3) years will disqualify you. A driving while intoxicated (DWI or OUI) conviction during the past five (5) years will also disqualify you. Having outstanding tickets or excise taxes will prevent you from being hired. However, you will be given an opportunity to pay tickets and excise taxes before being denied a position.
Why must I pass all these requirements (written tests, background screens, drug and alcohol screens, training requirements, etc.) to earn an entry-level, part-time job?
All lottery positions are classified as “Safety Sensitive.” Generally speaking, that means that your actions as an employee impact the safety of Authority customers and employees as well as the safety of the general public in our service area. As a result, the Authority must take steps to hire and retain only the most qualified candidates to fill these critical positions and to promote an environment that keeps everyone safe.
Are there additional requirements of safety sensitive employees once I am hired?
Yes. All safety-sensitive employees are subject to random drug and alcohol tests and to other policies promoting safety, such as the ban on cell phone possession. The failure to pass a random drug and alcohol screen and the failure to abide by policies could result in your termination. |
