WPC( <UBX % 0tN 0 0\ 0 0rp 0 D+o  0` 0= 0* AQ 0 0D#  n 0r U:w@4  0J Lj 0T 0^ Bp 0h 0r 0|g 0 D3i 0 1u, 0dU * B)7DC` AKv~ vC"\  `*Times New RomanTT'  The Plaintiffs appeal the trial courts final judgment which up (Authorized User(0Authorized User .   h:Default ParaDefault Paragraph FontXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW        W\  `*Times New RomanTTW<5T.footerfooter   !        >4X` hp x (#>P8page numberpage numberXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW        W\  `*Times New RomanTTWV!:footnote texfootnote text          `:footnote reffootnote referenceXXXW\  `*Times New RomanTTW        W\  `*Times New RomanTTW(e2q$ !,,,   'dxd Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5(e2q$ !,,,   ($    (e2q$ !,,,      C<< c(f(3,$ !,,,       0  (#$  0  HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLl3|x\  `*Times New RomanTTC\  P6QP\  `*Times New RomanTTXXP\  P6QXP%2A`ArialTTomanTTXXX2PQXP(J$~4~4~4  +K AZ"Arial Regular {E{EӀ z=#`2 0Indent123  C:\OFFICE\WPWIN\TEMPLATE\STANDARD.WPT2" 0Indent20 23  2, 0Indent30 0 23   d26 0Indent40 0 0 23  2@ 0Indent50 0 0 0 23  2J 0Indent60 0 0 0 0 23  2T 0Indent70 0 0 0 0 0 23  $$$$'dxd2^ 0Indent80 0 0 0 0 0 0 23  "#%&'(* ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P 8Mac DefaultMac Default ` X<  9p`(Arial% Line 7 d55557Border 1dd 6C << G !   44   YYY FILED4XOctober17,1997CecilW.CrowsonAppellateCourtClerk    !#d#        4IncitingtheCodeofEthicsandBusinessConductGuidelines,theEmployeesreliedprimarilyontheprovisionregarding maintainingaworkenvironmentwhereconstructive,frank,andopendiscussionisencouragedandexpected,withoutfearofretaliation.Byitsterms,thisprovisionappliesonlytoSCTsmanagersandsupervisors.Moreover,evenifthisprovisionandotherprovisionsoftheCodearenotviewedinthecontextoftheEmployeeHandbook,theprovisionsfailtocontainbindinglanguagewhichwouldovercomethisstatespresumptionofatwillemployment.SeeGregoryv.Hunt,24F.3d781,787(6thCir.1994);Davisv.ConnecticutGen.LifeIns.Co.,743F.Supp.1273,128081(M.D.Tenn.1990);Whittakerv.CareMore,Inc.,621S.W.2d395,397(Tenn.App.1981);Rosev.TiptonCountyPub.WorksDept,No.02A019608CV00189,1997WL188803,at*3(Tenn.App.Apr.18,1997). WelikewiseconcludethattheEmployeesallegationsofpromissoryestoppelandfraudulentinducementareinsufficienttoovercomethepresumptionofatwillemployment.SeeRampyv.ICIAcrylics,Inc.,898S.W.2d196,211(Tenn.App.1994);Pricev.MercurySupplyCo.,682S.W.2d924,934(Tenn.App.1984).PtPtHH(FG(HH(d'`Styl{WP}01  HH  2$HH  Geneva  <Px443!#4$*$$*$ KK  Geneva  Geneva .,6 Geneva   ion-F Geneva  ion-F Geneva ! .    \RA'\   ` X\RA'\44X7^hXXdXXd7ћ @ INTHECOURTOFAPPEALSOFTENNESSEE@ WESTERNSECTIONATNASHVILLEROBERTE.ADCOXand   )DONALDF.GRAEF,   )      )  Plaintiffs/Appellants, )RobertsonCircuitNo.7987      )VS.      )AppealNo.01A019703CV00123      )SCTPRODUCTS,    )      )  Defendant/Appellee. ) @ APPEALFROMTHECIRCUITCOURTOFROBERTSONCOUNTY@ ATSPRINGFIELD,TENNESSEE@ THEHONORABLEJAMESE.WALTON,JUDGE̜ R786A1-j|^h`  `@Rߛ CHARLESR.RAY Nashville,TennesseeAttorneyforAppellantS RICHARDR.PARKERWILLIAMS.RUTCHOW Nashville,TennesseeAttorneysforAppellee AFFIRMED          ALANE.HIGHERS,J.CONCUR:DAVIDR.FARMER,J.HOLLYKIRBYLILLARD,J.  7^hXXdXXd7 PlaintiffsRobertE.AdcoxandDonaldF.Graef(collectively,theEmployees)appealthetrialcourtsorderdismissingtheiractionsforbreachofemploymentcontract,promissoryestoppel,andfraudulentinducementagainstDefendant/AppelleeSCTProducts.Forthereasonshereinafterstated,weaffirmthetrialcourtsdismissals. Accordingtotheircomplaint,bothEmployeesworkedasgrindersforSCTProducts.InFebruary1996,theEmployeesweredischargedbySCTonthestatedgroundof irreconcilabledifferences.GraefsterminationfollowedameetingwithplantmanagerPhillipLomasinwhichtheydiscussedGraefsoppositiontorecentworkrulechangesunilaterallyinitiatedbyLomas.AdcoxsterminationalsofollowedameetingwithLomas,inwhichAdcoxquestionedLomassdecisionnottopayAdcoxadditionalmoneyfortraininganemployeeasAdcoxhadbeenpromisedbyhissupervisor. TheEmployeessubsequentlyfiledthisactionagainstSCTProductsinwhichtheyassertedclaimsforbreachofemploymentcontract,promissoryestoppel,andfraudulentinducement.Inassertingtheseclaims,theEmployeesallegedthattheyhadreliedonrepresentationsmadebySCTthattheEmployeeshadtherightfreelyandcandidlytodiscussproblemswithmembersofmanagementwithoutanyfearofretaliation.AccordingtotheEmployees,theserepresentationsappearedintheSCTProductsEmployeeHandbookandintheCodeofEthicsandBusinessConductGuidelinesofSCTsparentcompany,SaintGobainCorporation.TheEmployeescontendedthatthesedocumentscreatedacontractwhichSCTbreachedwhenitdischargedtheEmployeesmerelyforhavingcandiddiscussionswithSCTsplantmanager. SCTrespondedtothecomplaintbyfilingamotiontodismissforfailuretostateaclaimuponwhichreliefcouldbegrantedpursuanttorule12.02(6)oftheTennesseeRulesofCivilProcedure.Specifically,SCTcontendedthat,asamatteroflaw,theprovisionsoftheEmployeeHandbookandtheCodeofEthicsandBusinessConductGuidelinesdidnotconstituteanemploymentcontract.ThetrialcourtgrantedSCTsmotiontodismiss,andthisappealfollowed. ThiscourtrecentlysummarizedtheapplicablelawfordeterminingwhenanemployeehandbookdistributedbyanemployerconstitutespartofanemploymentϜcontract:8 8  Webeginouranalysisofthisissuewiththewellestablishedrule thatacontractforemploymentforanindefinitetermisacontractatwillandcanbeterminatedbyeitherpartyatanytimewithoutcause.Bringlev.MethodistHosp.,701S.W.2d622,625(Tenn.App.1985);accordGravesv.AnchorWireCorp.,692S.W.2d420,422(Tenn.App.1985);Whittakerv.CareMore,Inc.,621S.W.2d395,396(Tenn.App.1981).BecauseTennesseecontinuestoadheretotheforegoing employeeatwillrule,apresumptionarisesinthisstatethatanemployeeisanemployeeatwill.Davisv.ConnecticutGen.LifeIns.Co.,743F.Supp.1273,1280(M.D.Tenn.1990)....8 8  Evenintheabsenceofadefinitedurationalterm,anemploymentcontractstillmayexistwithregardtoothertermsofemployment.Williamsv.MaremontCorp.,776S.W.2d78,80(Tenn.App.1988);accordHooksv.Gibson,842S.W.2d625,628(Tenn.App.1992).Inthisregard,thiscourthasrecognizedthatanemployeehandbookcanbecomeapartofanemploymentcontract.Smithv.Morris,778S.W.2d857,858(Tenn.App.1988)(citingHambyv.Genesco,Inc.,627S.W.2d373(Tenn.App.1981));accordDavisv.ConnecticutGen.LifeIns.Co.,743F.Supp.1273,1278(M.D.Tenn.1990).Inordertoconstituteacontract,however,thehandbookmustcontainspecificlanguageshowingtheemployersintenttobeboundbythehandbooksprovisions.Smithv.Morris,778S.W.2dat858.Unlessanemployeehandbookcontainssuchguaranteesorbindingcommitments,thehandbookwillnotconstituteanemploymentcontract.Whittakerv.CareMore,Inc.,621S.W.2d395,397(Tenn.App.1981).Asstatedbyonecourt,inorderforanemployeehandbooktobeconsideredpartofanemploymentcontract, thelanguageusedmustbephrasedinbindingterms,interpretedinthecontextoftheentirehandbook,andreadinconjunctionwithanyotherrelevantmaterial,suchasanemploymentapplication.Claibornev.FritoLay,Inc.,718F.Supp.1319,1321(E.D.Tenn.1989).Rosev.TiptonCountyPub.WorksDept,No.02A019608CV00189,1997WL188803,at**12(Tenn.App.Apr.18,1997)(perm.app.pending)(footnoteomitted). Inaccordancewiththeforegoingprinciples,weexaminetheprovisionsoftheSCTProductsEmployeeHandbook,aswellastheotherdocumentuponwhichtheEmployeesbasedtheirclaimsofbreachofcontract.Inmaintainingtheirclaims,theEmployeesrelieduponthefollowingprovisionscontainedintheCodeofEthicsandBusinessConductGuidelines:8 8 SaintGobainCorporationiscommittedtomaintainingthehighestbusinessethicsandstandards.InordertopreservetheintegrityofSaintGobainCorporationsbusinessandthemannerinwhichweareperceivedbycoworkers,customers,suppliers,competitors,andthecommunitiesinwhichweliveandwork,itisimperativethateachemployeeconducthisorherbusinessandpersonalaffairsincompliancewithSaintGobainCorporationsCodeofEthicsandBusinessConductGuidelines.8 8 ....8 8 AllmanagersareresponsibleforseeingthatCompanypoliciesarefollowed.EverymanagerisresponsibleforcommunicatingCompanypoliciestohisorheremployees,includingthosedealingwithlegalandethicalbehavior.Managersandsupervisorsalsoareresponsibleformaintainingaworkenvironmentwhereconstructive,frank,andopendiscussionisencouragedandexpected,withoutfearofretaliation.̜ TheEmployeesalsorelieduponthefollowingpoliciessetforthintheSCTProductsEmployeeHandbook:8 8 TOassureeachemployeetherighttodiscussfreelywithmanagementanyproblemconcerningeithertheirownwelfare&  orthecompanyswelfare.8 8 ....'  8 8 TOdevelopcompetentsupervisorypersonnelwhounderstandandmeettheobjectivesofthecompanyandwhoacceptwithopenmindednesstheideas,suggestions,andconstructive&  criticismoffellowemployees.8 8 ....'  8 8 TOdoallthesethingsinaspiritoffriendlinessandcooperationsothatourcompanywillcontinuetobeknownas agoodplacetowork. Inaddition,theEmployeeHandbookcontainedaprovisionstatingthatthehandbookwasnotanemploymentcontractandthatthecompanyreservedtheϜunilateralrighttoreviseitspoliciesandprocedures:8 8 Pleaseunderstandthatthishandbookcannotanticipateeverysituationoranswereveryquestionaboutemployment.Itisnotanemploymentcontract.Thecompanyreservestherighttochangeorrevisepoliciesandprocedureswheneversuchactioniswarranted. Aftercarefullyreviewingtheforegoingprovisions,weaffirmthetrialcourtsorderdismissingtheEmployeesactionsagainstSCT.Thiscourthasrepeatedlyheldthat,whereanemployeehandbookspecificallyprovidesthatitisnotacontractandreservestotheemployertheunilateralrighttoamendthehandbooksprovisions,suchhandbookdoesnot,asamatteroflaw,constitutepartoftheemploymentcontractbetweentheemployerandtheemployee.InGuekelv.CumberlandSwan,Inc.,No.01A019410CV00482,1995WL386558(Tenn.App.June30,1995),forexample,theemployeehandbookcontainedthefollowingprovision:8 8 ThisHandbookisintendedasaguideforpolicies,benefits,andgeneralinformation.Theseguidelinesshouldnotbeinterpretedasacontractofanykind.Thecompanyreservestherighttomakechangesintheguidelines[or]theirapplicationasitdeemsappropriate,andthesechangesmaybemadewithorwithoutnotice....ӜGuekel,1995WL386558,at*3.InGainesv.ResponseGraphics,Inc.,No.01A019204CV00181,1992WL319441,at*2(Tenn.App.Nov.6,1992),thehandbooksimilarlyprovidedthatitwasnotacontract,thatitshouldnotbereliedonassuch,andthattheprovisionsthereincouldberevisedwithoutnotice.InCriggerv.ColumbiaPower&WaterSys.,No.01A019001CV00036,1990WL121570(Tenn.App.Aug.24,1990),perm.app.denied(Tenn.Jan.28,1991),theemployeehandbookcontainedtheseprovisions:8 8  ThestatementscontainedinthismanualregardingColumbiaPowerandWaterSystemspolicies,itsemployeebenefits,andservicesareinsummaryformanddonotrepresentacontractbetweenSystemsanditsemployees.8 8  Thepolicies,employeebenefitsandservicesoutlinedinthismanualareintendedtobeaconvenientandhelpfulsourceofinformationandmaybechangedbySystemsasitdeemsnecessary.ӜCrigger,1990WL121570,at*1.Finally,inBlalockv.HecksDiscountStores,1986WL4591(Tenn.App.Apr.18,1986),theemployeesignedthefollowingstatementwhenreceivingtheemployershandbook:8 8 ...Ifurtherunderstandthatthishandbookisintendedasaguideforpersonnelpolicies,benefitsandgeneralinformationandthattheseguidelinesshouldnotbeconstruedasacontract.8 8 Iunderstandthecompanyreservestherighttomakechangesintheguidelinesortheirapplicationasitdeemsappropriate.ӜBlalock,1986WL4591,at*1.Inallofthesecases,thiscourtconcludedthatthehandbooksprovisionswereinsufficienttoovercomethepresumptionofatwillemploymentand,thus,thattheemployeescouldnotmaintainactionsforbreachofcontractagainsttheiremployers. Wecanconceiveofnoclearerwayforanemployertoexpressitsintentnottobeboundbyanemployeehandbooksprovisionsthantheemployersspecificstatementthatthehandbookisnotacontractorthatthehandbookshouldnotbeconstruedasacontract.Evenwithoutsuchastatement,however,theemployersreservationofaunilateralrighttomodifytheprovisionsofitsemployeehandbookgenerallywouldprecludethehandbookfrombeingconsideredpartoftheemploymentcontract.Claibornev.FritoLay,Inc.,718F.Supp.1319,1321(E.D.Tenn.1989);seealsoGregoryv.Hunt,24F.3d781,786(6thCir.1994);Davisv.ConnecticutGen.LifeIns.Co.,743F.Supp.1273,1279(M.D.Tenn.1990);Smithv.Morris,778S.W.2d857,858(Tenn.App.1988)Bringlev.MethodistHosp.,701S.W.2d622,624(Tenn.App.Ϝ1985).Inasmuchasthehandbookatissuecontainedbothsuchprovisions,weconcludethatthetrialcourtproperlydismissedtheEmployeesclaimsforbreachofemploymentcontractagainstSCT. 9   כ Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisherebyaffirmed.CostsofthisappealaretaxedtoAppellants,forwhichexecutionmayissueifnecessary.4         򀀀         44XHIGHERS,J.CONCUR:򀀀FARMER,J.򀀀LILLARD,J.