I live and work in MA and I think it's required by law here. I had to answer it even at my part-time jobs back when I was 14 (I'm 26 now, for comparison). I haven't seen a job here that hasn't asked it. And I used to work in retail at Macy's, as well at a smaller movie theatre that wasn't owned by a large, parent corporation. So between small and big, they all ask. So I can't blame the stores themselves because they have no control over it. Not their fault

BTW, you have 3 options here in MA: yes, no, and "rather not say". So you technically don't have to answer it if you choose the last option.