MBTA Application Terms and Definitions

Reference the information below for examples and definitions of terms and phrases used on the MBTA employment application (listed in alphabetical order).

Note: The MBTA makes reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation during the application process, please contact the MBTA's ADA Unit at 617-222-5751.

Race and Ethnicity

• African American or Black (not of Hispanic or Latino origin): All persons having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. For example, people in this category may identify as African American, Jamaican, Haitian, Nigerian, Ethiopian, Somalian, etc.
• American Indian or Alaska Native: All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintain cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition. For example, people in this category may identify as being affiliated with Navajo Nation, Massachusett, Nipmuc, Pawtucket, Wampanoag, etc.
• Asian American: All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. For example, people in this category may identify as Chinese, Japanese, Desi/Desi-American, Korean, South Asian, Vietnamese, Indian, Nepalese, etc.
• Hispanic or Latino: All persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture of origin, regardless of race. For example, people in this category may identify as Salvadorean, Dominican, Colombian, Guatemalan, Puerto Rican, Mexican, etc.
• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands. For example, people in this category may identify as Guamanian, Fijian, Samoan, Tongan, Hawaiian, etc.
• White (not of Hispanic or Latino Origin): All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. For example, people in this category may identify as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Iranian, Egyptian, Syrian, Moroccan, etc.

Sex, Gender, & Pronouns

As a part of the MBTA’s value of inclusion as well as advocacy from the DEI Employee Advisory Council and the PRIDE Employee Resource Group, components about Sex, Gender, and Pronouns have been added to our application.

The addition of these opt-in questions meets all federal EEO requirements and provides applicants a more inclusive experience that is current with best practices in today’s talent marketplace.

With the inclusion of these components in our application, the MBTA joins many other industries and employers in valuing a diverse workforce. The MBTA uses sex, gender identity and pronouns as defined by the Human Rights Campaign.

Immediate Family Member Employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Applicants must disclose if they have any of the following immediate family members working for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This includes roles as a regular or contract employee in public higher education, the MBTA, and/or other government agencies, or as an elected official in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government.

Immediate family members are your:

• Child
• Parent
• Sibling
• Spouse (including a spouse's child, parent, or sibling)

This disclosure is intended to ensure that the citizens of our Commonwealth have full confidence in their government and its hiring process. It will not be used to exclude any qualified applicant seeking a position within the MBTA from receiving full consideration based on the merits of their credentials and the requirements of the job.