ÿWPCª Òa'–ûã¨ógÕ§žûãýUª³¾R\•ʘí0Øù½É´™ó~ÇÖ걈ñSZŸ·m¹p<‡]D/¦ àÚ%]´o·j„évì{<°I ²ÞmV³:°Ö™„T3vÚÐ Ctö6•lR„C[bûÍ–]hƒ^¹yŒs°ÛºGJYåãšã:¬BÔsmüïïÒ¤aš–×úˆ°wÇ5æE"bKè}í[³5nÚx]ì'I†¹ssòÿ¤!efÛÌì μÁ l•ØÜ@ „êßl' ¸f:Ù¹í›.N£OTƲYÞNC$Dz9³´sÕ’LæÏ¥ß®R!(<ÛY«Áø¬~û0 2Ú6~gö“÷YsÏR²·$ܬýÿ|M†Ô3ÐÚEhÂos uyÎÆÔ̆_«e§ÈžôH ½ y*¼ô£BˆYIq+Xkf[K+`NÐIU1á¤,LÎÌ»Øfi·hqC¸ãeÃo”æÏJ\Ò•ð¿0µ8™7O¼Z+dß3ïPNO/[B i÷ eÕîðuÊ©Š8^Á½ƒRC•)?xïàÖjÀ†¾˜b¶žØ>«r–,n|<9V#q}@÷x…b CkËÄåU3ñcd#!xUN™ %ç 0(í w 4! 5 ND 0lF 0D² sö ‚i ô ë 7ßU:^ P\ m^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu 0D’ D5ÖÖÖÖÖ AQ Æ\ 0D" 0Df˜HP LaserJet 8000 DN PSØÚØÚÚØØÚ0(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡{Z='lmnopq3|x((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó iÝ ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú1Ú  ÚóóÝ  Ý42€U.S.C.A.€ðð2000e(k)€(West€1994). xÝ ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú2Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝT.C.A.€ðððð4-21-101€to€-905€(1991€&€Supp.€1995). ê Ý ƒ üÝ$Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú3Ú  ÚóóÝ  ÝIn€òòò òTroupev.€May€Department€Stores€Co.ó óóó,€the€court€explained€thatÐ ° ÐÌà8  àà8` Ð Ð àà ¸ à[t]he€Pregnancy€Discrimination€Act€does€not,...€requireÐ ˆØ Ðemployers€to€offer€maternity€leave€or€take€other€steps€to€make€itÐ tÄ Ðeasier€for€pregnant€women€to€work,....€€Employers€can€treatÐ `° Ðpregnant€women€as€badly€as€they€treat€similarly€affected€butÐ L œ Ðnonpregnant€employees,€even€to€the€point€of€ð ðconditioning€theÐ 8 ˆ Ðavailability€of€an€employment€benefit€on€an€employeeððs€decision€toÐ $ t Ðreturn€to€work€after€the€end€of€the€medical€disability€that€pregnancyÐ  ` Ðcauses.ðð€€ò òòòMaganucov.€Leyden€Community€High€School€Dist.Ð ü L  Ð212ó óóó,€939€F.2d€440,€445€(7th€Cir.€1991)....Ðè 8 ` x` x ÐÌà8  àà8` Ð Ð àà ¸ à...€€The€Pregnancy€Discrimination€Act€requires€theÐ À  Ðemployer€to€ignore€an€employeeððs€pregnancy,€but€(as€the€quotationÐ ¬ü  Ðfrom€ò òòòMaganucoó óóó€shows)€not€her€absence€from€work,€unless€theÐ ˜è  Ðemployer€overlooks€the€comparable€absences€of€nonpregnantÐ „Ô  Ðemployees.ÐpÀ` x` x ÐÌò òòòTroupeó óóó,€20€F.3d€at€738€(other€citations€omitted).Ð H˜ ÐÌà  àIn€contrast,€the€Tennessee€Human€Rights€Act€requires€employers€which€employ€at€leastÐ  p Ð100€full„time€employees€to€permit€female€employees€who€have€been€employed€for€at€least€twelveÐ  \ Ðconsecutive€months€as€full„time€employees€to€take€up€to€four€months€of€maternity€leave.€€ò òòòSeeó óóóÐ øH ÐT.C.A.€ðððð4-21-408(a),€(d)(3)€(1991).€€The€THRA€specifically€provides€that€such€maternity€leaveÐ ä4 Ðshall€not€affect€the€employeesðð€rights€to€receive€any€other€employment€benefits.€€ò òòòSeeó óóó€T.C.A.Ð Ð  Ððð4-21-408(c)(1)€(1991).€€Employees€who€meet€the€statuteððs€advance€notice€requirements€areÐ ¼  Ðentitled€to€be€restored€to€their€previous€or€similar€positions.€€ò òòòSeeó óóó€T.C.A.€ðð4-21-408(b)€(1991).€Ð ¨ø ÐThe€federal€Family€and€Medical€Leave€Act(FMLA)€similarly€entitles€eligible€employees€to€aÐ ”ä Ðtotal€of€twelve€workweeks€of€leave€during€any€twelve„month€period€because€of€the€birth€of€aÐ €Ð Ðchild.€€ò òòòSeeó óóó€29€U.S.C.A.€ðð2612(a)(1)(A)€(West€1999).€€The€FMLA€specifically€prohibitsÐ l¼ Ðemployers€from€discriminating€against€employees€who€exercise€their€rights€under€the€FMLA.€Ð X ¨ Ðò òòòSeeó óóó€29€U.S.C.A.€ðð2615€(1999).€€Under€the€FMLA,€the€term€eligible€employee€includesÐ D!”  Ðemployees€who€have€been€employed€for€at€least€twelve€months€by€their€employer,€for€at€leastÐ ° Ð1250€hours€of€service€during€the€previous€twelve„month€period,€and€at€a€worksite€at€which€theÐ œì Ðemployer€employs€fifty€or€more€employees.€€ò òòòSeeó óóó€29€U.S.C.A.€ðð2611(2)€(1999).€€Neither€theÐ ˆØ ÐTHRA€nor€the€FMLA€are€at€issue€in€this€lawsuit. -Ý ƒb¯"ÝÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÔ€XÚ©XXXÔÔ€êyXXÚ©ÔÓ  Óò òÔ Ad ÔFILEDÔ€XÚ©XêyÔÐ  ÐÌSeptember€13,€1999ÌÌCecil€Ô_ÔCrowsonÔ_Ô,€Jr.ÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔdAxÔó ó,c½¬AZ‹"Arial Regular‹d-' ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ d(3¯$££Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý )ÿÿ!dxdxabZc[Cþÿ<<CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó óÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÑTR[° AØ'ÿ Legal3Ø' AØ'ÿ Legalÿ3Ø'TÑÓ'°,X°À”X°œX'Óò òßx€`[B2.jz8Ú`  `€€@ÿEŠ` 8ttxP8Âð È xßà@O O ìàIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€ˆÐ ° Ðà@áá$ìàAT€NASHVILLE€ó óˆÐ œì ÐÌà@. . ìà_______________________________________________________ˆÌÌà À à)Ìò òÔ_ÔRETAÔ_Ô€J.€BESTó ó,à À à)à  àRutherford€County€Chancery€CourtÐ 8 ˆ Ðà À à)à  àNo.€97CV„488Ð ( x Ѐ€€€€Plaintiff/Appellant.à À à)Ð  d Ðà À à)ÌVS.à À à)à  àC.A.€No.€01A01„9812„CH„00652Ð ì <  Ðà À à)Ìò òDISTRIBUTION€&€AUTO€SERVICESó ó,à À à)Ð Ä  Ðò òINC.ó ó,à À à)Ð ´  Ðà À à)Ì€€€€€Defendant/Appellee.à À à)Ð à  Ðà À à)Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌFrom€the€Chancery€Court€of€Rutherford€County€at€Murfreesboro.Ìò òHonorable€Robert€E.€Ô_ÔCorlewÔ_Ô,€III,€Chancellor€ó óÐ ,| ÐÌÌÌò òWilliam€Ô_ÔKennerlyÔ_Ô€Burgeró ó,€Murfreesboro,€TennesseeÐ Ü, ÐAttorney€for€Plaintiff/Appellant.ÌÌÌò òLarry€G.€Trailó ó,Ð à Ðò òDiana€C.€Bensonó ó,€Ð €Ð ÐTRAIL€&€TRAIL,€Murfreesboro,€TennesseeÌAttorneys€for€Defendant/Appellee.ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:ÌÌò òAFFIRMED€&€REMANDEDó óÐ ä&4"% ÐÌÌà À àò òFARMER,€J.ó óÐ ¨)ø$( ÐÌò òCRAWFORD,€Ô_ÔP.J.Ô_Ô,€Ô_ÔW.S.Ô_Ôó ó:€(Concurs)Ð €+Ð&* Ðò òÔ_ÔLILLARDÔ_Ô,€J.ó ó:€(Concurs)Ð p,À'+ ÐÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÐ 4;„6; ÐÔ_ÔÓ0°,X°` ˜X°,X°À”X0ÓÓ  ÓÓÓà ` àIn€this€employment€discrimination€action,€Plaintiff€RetaJ.€Best€appeals€the€trialÏcourtððs€judgment€granting€the€motion€for€summary€judgment€filed€by€Defendant/AppelleeÐ ˆØ ÐDistribution&€Auto€Services,€Inc.(DAS).€€We€affirm€the€trial€courtððs€judgment€based€upon€ourÐ `° Ðconclusion€that,€even€when€viewed€in€the€light€most€favorable€to€Best,€the€evidence€fails€to€supportÐ 8 ˆ ÐBestððs€claim€that€DAS€discriminated€against€her€on€the€basis€of€her€pregnancy.Ð  ` ÐÌà ` àThe€facts€in€this€case€were€largely€undisputed.€€When€Best€was€hired€by€DAS€inÐ À  ÐOctober€1994,€DAS€had€in€effect€the€following€three„tier€leave€policy.€€Employees€who€had€workedÐ ˜è  Ðfor€DAS€for€less€than€ninety€days€were€entitled€to€medical€leave€for€a€period€of€up€to€the€length€ofÐ pÀ Ðtheir€employment.€€For€example,€an€employee€who€had€been€employed€for€only€thirty€days€wouldÐ H˜ Ðbe€entitled€to€a€medical€leave€of€absence€not€to€exceed€thirty€days.€€Employees€who€had€worked€forÐ  p ÐDAS€for€ninety€days€or€more,€but€less€than€one€year,€were€entitled€to€a€medical€leave€of€absence€forÐ øH Ða€period€of€up€to€ninety€days.€€For€employees€in€this€second€category,€however,€the€ninety„day€periodÐ Ð  Ðwould€be€extended€to€four€months€if€the€reason€for€the€leave€of€absence€was€maternity€leave€or€aÐ ¨ø Ðdisability€due€to€pregnancy.€€Employees€who€had€worked€for€DAS€for€one€year€or€more€were€entitledÐ €Ð Ðto€take€a€medical€leave€of€absence€of€up€to€six€months,€regardless€of€the€reason€for€the€leave.€€UnderÐ X ¨ ÐDASððs€leave€policy,€employees€could€request€two€successive€medical€leaves€of€absence€for€differentÐ 0"€  Ðdisabilities.€€In€order€to€be€eligible€for€the€second€leave€of€absence,€however,€employees€wereÐ $X" Ðrequired€to€return€to€work€for€a€minimum€of€ten€days€and€they€were€required€to€provide€medicalÐ à%0!$ Ðdocumentation€to€support€their€request.€€An€employeeððs€eligibility€for€leave€was€determined€by€theÐ ¸'#& Ðlength€of€time€the€employee€had€worked€for€DAS€on€the€date€the€employee€made€the€leave€request.€Ð )à$( ÐÌà ` àIn€July€1995,€Best€requested€a€medical€leave€of€absence€from€July17,€1995,€untilÐ @-(, ÐSeptember10,€1995.€€To€support€her€leave€request,€Best€provided€a€note€from€her€doctor€whichÐ /h*. Ðstated€simply€that€due€to€ð ðextreme€heat€and€Reta€Bestððs€pregnancy€related€fainting€spells,€she€isÐ ð0@,0 Ðadvised€to€be€off€her€feet&€work.ðð€€Based€upon€this€documentation,€DAS€granted€Bestððs€leaveÐ È2.2 Ðrequest.€€Ð  4ð/4 ÐÌà ` àOn€September10,€1995,€Best€attempted€to€return€to€work,€but€she€found€that€sheÐ P8 38 Ðphysically€was€unable€to€perform€her€job€duties.€€On€September11,€1995,€therefore,€Best€providedÐ (:x5: ÐDAS€with€a€doctorððs€note€requesting€that€Best€be€allowed€to€remain€off€work€until€after€the€birth€ofÐ