ÿWPCý …# VUNa %¯ 0(µw@Ý4 1 @ 0lH 0D´ 0Jø 0TB 0^– 0hô 0r\ 0|Î 0†J 0Ð 1u` 0dÕ B9U>VB)”DC½ AMU*Míw0dv~”vÓ D3å 0@ AOXƧ 0Dm D/± Bà˜HP LaserJet 4 PlusHPPCL5MS,ð,,,,,ð0nLdÒ(ÈhH  Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡ šU› œ  ž Ÿ£ ¡¢Ó€®Úƒç"3|x®((3üÝ$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ d< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman% Line 7 d""""7Border 1dd€-#Cþÿ << Gÿÿ< Œ 9p`(Arial ãÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÔ€%ÔÔ€%ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€%XÔÌÌò òNovember€25,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€%ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó &Ý ƒ!ÝÔ€!ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝIn€so€holding,€we€reject€Jonesðð€argument€that€the€Board€erred€in€denying€his€request€toÏpresent€additional€evidence€of€the€weather€conditions€on€February€16,€1996.€€At€the€hearing€beforeÏthe€Appeals€Tribunal,€Job€Shopððs€personnel€coordinator,€Janice€Nantz,€conceded€that€February€16Ïwas€ð ða€bad€weather€day.ðð€€Accordingly,€we€fail€to€see€how€Jones€was€prejudiced€by€the€BoardððsÏexclusion€of€additional€evidence€on€this€issue.ÌPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHØ(d'`Styl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  ion-F Geneva ÒÒ  ion-F Geneva Ò 'ÿÿdxd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€!ÔÝ  Ýò òÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›œÙ€€ÙÓ` Ü` p”XÓÑ\R AØ'\ÑßR€$&#A1-j|ˆµ` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE,€WESTERN€SECTIONÌà@ àAT€KNOXVILLEó óÌÌà@ à_______________________________________________________ÌÌà à)Ìò òLEWIS€G.€JONESó ó,à à)à àClaiborne€County€Chancery€CourtÌà à)à àNo.€11,259Ì€€€€€Petitioner/Appellant.à à)Ìà à)ÌVS.à à)à àC.A.€No.€03A01„9706„CH„00202Ìà à)Ìò òMARGARET€C.€CULPEPPERó ó,à à)Ìò òCommissioner,€Tennessee€Departmentó óà à)Ìò òof€Employment€Security,€et€al,ó óà à)Ìà à)Ì€€€€€Respondents/Appellees.à à)Ìà à)Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌFrom€the€Chancery€Court€of€Claiborne€County€at€TazewellÌò òHonorable€Billy€Joe€White,€Chancellor€ó óÌÌÌÌò òWilliam€Allenó ó,€Oak€Ridge,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Petitioner/Appellant.ÌÌÌò òJohn€Knox€Walkupó ó,€Attorney€General€and€ReporterÌò òKimberly€M.€Fraynó ó,€Assistant€Attorney€GeneralÌAttorney€for€Respondent/Appellee€Margaret€C.€Culpepper,€Commissioner,€Tennessee€DepartmentÏof€Employment€Security.ÌÌò òRobert€L.€Crossleyó ó,€LONG,€RAGSDALE€&€WATERS,€Knoxville,€TennesseeÌAttorney€for€Respondent/Appellee€Holiday€Inn€„€Cedar€Bluff.ÌÌÌÌOPINION€FILED:ÌÌò òAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDó óÌÌÌà àò òFARMER,€J.ó óÌÌò òCRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.ó ó:€(Concurs)Ìò òWILLIAMS,€Sp.€J.ó ó:€œ(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ›ÌÓÓÓ  ÓÓ` Ü` ˜XÓœà àLewis€G.€Jones€appeals€the€trial€courtððs€order€affirming€the€decision€of€the€Board€ofÏReview€of€the€Tennessee€Department€of€Employment€Security€to€deny€Jonesðð€claim€forÏunemployment€compensation€benefits.€€We€affirm.ÌÌà àIn€March€1996,€Jones€filed€a€claim€for€unemployment€compensation€benefits.€ÏJonesðð€claim€denoted€Job€Shop€in€London,€Kentucky,€as€the€separating€employer€and€indicated€theÏfollowing€reason€for€his€separation:€ð ðAbsent/Tardy/Failure€to€Call€or€Report.ðð€€Job€Shop€opposedÏJonesðð€claim€for€benefits€on€the€grounds€that€Jones€failed€to€appear€for€work€without€notifying€JobÏShop€and€that€he€voluntarily€quit.€€The€Department€of€Employment€Security€subsequently€deniedÏJonesðð€claim€for€unemployment€compensation€benefits€based€on€its€ruling€that€Jonesðð€ð ðabsenteeismÏand/or€failure€to€properly€notify€employer€of€the€need€to€be€absentðð€constituted€misconduct.€€ÌÌà àAfter€Jones€appealed€the€denial€of€benefits,€he€was€granted€a€telephonic€hearingÏbefore€the€Departmentððs€Appeals€Tribunal€to€determine€the€issues€of€whether€ð ðhe€voluntarily€quitÏwork€without€good€cause€or€was€discharged€for€misconduct.ðð€€òòò òSeeóóó ó€T.C.A.€ðððð€50„7„303(a)(1),€(2)Ï(Supp.€1996).€€At€the€hearing,€the€following€evidence€was€adduced.ÌÌà àJob€Shop€is€an€agency€which€sends€its€employees€on€temporary€job€assignmentsÏwith€its€customers.€€In€January€1996,€when€he€was€employed€by€Job€Shop,€Jones€signed€aÏchecklist€containing,€òòò òinter€aliaóóó ó,€the€following€policies€and€procedures:ÌÌÓÓà8 à3.à0 àI€understand€that€I€am€an€employee€of€THE€JOB€SHOP,ÏINC.€and€only€I€or€THE€JOB€SHOP,€INC.€can€terminate€myÏemployment.€€When€an€assignment€ends€I€must€report€toÏTHE€JOB€SHOP,€INC.€office€for€my€next€assignment.€ÍFailure€to€do€so€or€to€accept€my€next€job€assignment€willÏindicate€that€I€have€voluntarily€quit€and€will€not€be€eligibleÏfor€unemployment€benefits.ÌÌà8 àà à.€.€.€.€ÌÌà8 à6.à0 àIf€for€some€unexpected€reason,€such€as€an€emergency€orÏillness,€I€cannot€make€it€to€work€or€will€be€late,€I€will€contactÏTHE€JOB€SHOP,€INC.€as€soon€as€possible€so€you€can€callÏthe€client€and/or€find€a€replacement.€€My€failure€to€do€so€mayÏbe€grounds€for€dismissal€and/or€indicate€that€I€have€quit.€€ÌÌÌÌÓÓà àJonesðð€first€temporary€job€assignment€was€a€three„day€assignment€with€FirestoneÏbeginning€February€14,€1996.€€On€February€16,€1996,€the€third€day€of€Jonesðð€assignment,€JonesÏfailed€to€report€to€work€at€Firestone,€and€he€did€not€notify€Job€Shop€that€he€would€be€absent.€ÏJanice€Nantz,€Job€Shopððs€personnel€coordinator,€called€Jones€at€approximately€9:30€a.m.€onÏFebruary€16€to€inquire€about€his€absence.€€At€that€time,€Jones€informed€Nantz€that€he€could€notÏreport€for€work€that€day€because€he€had€a€prior€appointment.€€Since€that€day,€Jones€has€notÏcontacted€Job€Shop€to€inquire€about€further€job€assignments.ÌÌà àJones€testified€that€he€did€not€report€for€work€on€February€16€because€ð ðit€wasÏsnowing€and€[he]€couldnððt€get€[his]€car€out€of€the€driveway.ðð€€The€previous€day,€Jones€had€warnedÏhis€supervisor€at€Firestone€that€he€would€not€be€in€on€February€16€if€it€snowed.€€Jones€admitted,Ïhowever,€that€he€did€not€notify€anyone€at€Job€Shop€of€his€absence€from€work€until€Janice€NantzÏcalled€him€on€the€morning€of€February€16.€€Jones€also€admitted€that,€after€his€conversation€withÏNantz,€he€neither€reported€for€work€on€February€16€nor€called€Nantz€back€after€that€date€to€inquireÏabout€future€job€assignments.€€Jones€explained€that€he€never€called€Nantz€back€because,€duringÏtheir€conversation,€Nantz€stated€that€ð ð[t]his€is€the€way€it€works,€we€call€you€to€go€in,€if€you€donððtÏgo€in,€we€probably€wonððt€call€you€[any]€more.ðð€€Jones€interpreted€this€statement€to€mean€that€heÏhad€been€discharged.ÌÌà àFollowing€the€hearing,€the€appeals€referee€entered€a€decision€affirming€the€denial€ofÍJonesðð€claim€for€unemployment€benefits€based€upon€the€refereeððs€ruling€that€the€evidenceÏestablished€willful€misconduct€by€Jones.€€In€support€of€this€ruling,€the€appeals€referee€reasonedÏthat€JonesÌÌÓÓà8 à[W]as€not€in€compliance€with€[his]€contract€to€contact€the€employerÏand€he€refused€available€work€with€the€client.€€Both€actionsÏdemonstrate€a€disregard€of€the€employerððs€interest€amounting€toÏmisconduct.ÌÌÌÌÓÓThe€appeals€referee€made€the€following€findings€of€fact:ÌÌÓÓà8 à[Jonesðð]€most€recent€employment€prior€to€filing€this€claim€was€withÏJob€Shop,€as€a€temporary€employee€with€a€client€from€FebruaryÏ[14],€1996,€until€February€16,€1996.€[Jones]€understood€theÏassignment€was€only€a€ð ðcoupleðð€of€days.€€The€client€had€additionalÏwork€for€[Jones],€but€[Jones]€told€the€client€on€February€[15],€thatÏhe€would€not€be€in€the€following€day.€[Jones]€did€not€contact€theÏemployer.€€About€one€and€a€half€hours€into€[Jonesðð]€shift,€theÏpersonnel€coordinator€called€[Jones]€at€home€because€the€clientÏwanted€him€to€come€in€even€though€it€was€late.€[Jones]€told€her€heÏhad€other€plans.€€Since€he€did€not€report€to€the€client€for€theÏadditional€work€and€did€not€contact€the€employer€about€additionalÏwork,€he€was€terminated.€€ÌÌÌÌÓÓJones€appealed€the€Appeals€Tribunalððs€decision€to€the€Board€of€Review,€which€affirmed,€expresslyÏadopting€the€Tribunalððs€findings€of€fact€and€decision.ÌÌà àAfter€the€Board€of€Review€affirmed€the€Appeals€Tribunalððs€decision,€Jones,€nowÏrepresented€by€counsel,€filed€a€petition€to€rehear€in€which€he€asked€for€the€opportunity€to€presentÏfurther€evidence€concerning€the€snowfall€at€his€home€on€February€16,€1996.€€The€Board€of€ReviewÏdenied€the€petition€to€rehear,€and€Jones€sought€judicial€review€by€filing€a€petition€for€certiorari€inÏthe€Chancery€Court€for€Claiborne€County.ÌÌà àOn€appeal€from€the€trial€courtððs€order€affirming€the€Boardððs€decision,€JonesÍcontends€that€the€record€fails€to€support€the€Boardððs€conclusion€that€Jones€was€discharged€forÏmisconduct.€€Jones€argues€that,€as€a€matter€of€law,€his€absence€from€work€on€February€16,€1996,Ïdid€not€constitute€misconduct.€€Jones€further€contends€that€the€Board€erred€in€denying€his€petitionÏto€rehear€in€which€he€sought€to€present€additional€evidence€of€the€weather€conditions€on€FebruaryÏ16,€1996.ÌÌà àOn€appeal€from€the€Board€of€Reviewððs€denial€of€benefits,€our€review€is€limited€toÏdetermining€whether€the€record€contains€substantial€and€material€evidence€to€support€the€BoardððsÏconclusion€that€the€claimantððs€actions€constituted€misconduct.€€òòò òSimmons€v.€Culpepperóóó ó,€937ÏS.W.2d€938,€943€(Tenn.€App.€1996)€(citing€T.C.A.€ðð€50„7„304(i)€(1991)).€€This€Court€hasÏadopted€the€following€standard€for€determining€whether€a€claimantððs€actions€constitute€misconductÏwithin€the€meaning€of€the€unemployment€compensation€statutes:ÌÌÓÓà8 à[C]onduct€evincing€such€willful€and€wanton€disregard€of€anÏemployerððs€interests€as€is€found€in€deliberate€violations€or€disregardÏof€standards€of€behavior€which€the€employer€has€the€right€to€expectÏof€his€employee,€or€in€carelessness€or€negligence€of€such€degree€orÏrecurrence€as€to€manifest€equal€culpability,€wrongful€intent€or€evilÏdesign,€or€to€show€an€intentional€and€substantial€disregard€of€theÏemployerððs€interests€or€of€the€employeeððs€duties€and€obligations€toÏthe€employer.ÌÌÌÌÓÓòòò òSimmons€v.€Culpepperóóó ó,€937€S.W.2d€at€944€(quoting€òòò òArmstrong€v.€Neelóóó ó,€725€S.W.2dÏ953,€956€(Tenn.€App.€1986)).ÌÌà àUnexcused€and€unjustified€absenteeism€may€be€a€basis€for€a€finding€of€misconductÏsuch€as€to€disqualify€a€claimant€from€receiving€unemployment€compensation€benefits.€€òòò òSimmonsÏv.€Traughberóóó ó,€791€S.W.2d€21,€26€(Tenn.€1990).€€As€our€supreme€court€stated€in€òòò òWallace€v.ÏStewartóóó ó,€€559€S.W.2d€647,€648€(Tenn.€1977),€ð ð[n]o€aspect€of€contract€of€employment€is€moreÏbasic€than€the€right€of€the€employer€to€expect€employees€will€appear€for€work€on€the€day€and€at€theÏhour€agreed€upon.ððÌÌà àTennessee€courts€have€declined€to€quantify€the€level€of€absenteeism€which€willÏwarrant€the€denial€of€benefits,€instead€indicating€that€such€level€ð ðmust€be€determined€on€an€ad€hocÏbasis.ðð€€òòò òMiotke€v.€Kelleyóóó ó,€713€S.W.2d€910,€913€(Tenn.€App.€1986).€€Courts€addressing€thisÏissue€have€denied€benefits€where€the€absenteeism€is€ð ðexcessiveðð€or€part€of€a€pattern€of€conduct.€Ïòòò òSee€Wallaceóóó ó,€559€S.W.2d€at€648€(claimant€was€discharged€for€excessive€absenteeism€after€fourÏwarnings);€òòò òMiotkeóóó ó,€713€S.W.2d€at€913€(after€being€warned€several€times,€claimant€continued€toÏbe€absent€without€notifying€employer);€òòò òsee€also€Trull€v.€Culpepperóóó ó,€No.€02A01„9603„CH„00041,€1996€WL€732428,€at€*4€(Tenn.€App.€Dec.€20,€1996)€(claimantððs€absences€were€part€ofÏpattern€of€actions€showing€substantial€disregard€for€employerððs€interest).€€Nevertheless,€ð ð[t]heÏdegree€of€disregard€for€the€employerððs€interest€shown€by€absenteeism€that€will€equate€withÏmisconduct,€may€involve€many€factors€and€the€weight€and€significance€to€be€assigned€them€defiesÏprecise€delineation.ðð€€òòò òWallaceóóó ó,€559€S.W.2d€at€649.ÌÌà àAfter€careful€review€and€consideration,€we€conclude€that€the€record€in€this€caseÏcontains€substantial€and€material€evidence€to€support€the€Boardððs€ruling€that€Jonesðð€actionsÏconstituted€misconduct.€€Jones€failed€to€notify€Job€Shop€of€his€absence€from€work€in€directÏviolation€of€Job€Shopððs€policies€and€procedures.€When€contacted€by€Job€Shopððs€personnelÏcoordinator,€Jones€informed€her€that€he€could€not€work€that€day€because€he€had€a€priorÏappointment.€€When€Jones€was€warned€that,€if€he€did€not€go€in€to€work,€Job€Shop€ð ðprobablyððÏwould€not€call€him€anymore,€Jones€still€did€not€report€for€work,€nor€did€he€contact€Job€Shop€afterÏthat€date€to€inquire€about€further€job€assignments.€€When€viewed€in€their€entirety,€Jonesðð€actionsÏevinced€a€willful€disregard€of€his€employerððs€interest€such€as€to€constitute€misconduct.ÌÌà àIn€concluding€that€the€foregoing€evidence€supports€the€Boardððs€finding€ofÏmisconduct,€we€do€not€mean€to€imply€that€a€single€unexcused€absence€from€work€necessarilyÏconstitutes€misconduct€warranting€a€denial€of€unemployment€compensation€benefits.€€We€merelyÍhold€that,€under€the€circumstances€of€this€case,€the€Boardððs€finding€of€misconduct€is€supported€byÏsubstantial€and€material€evidence.× ƒ' ××  ×ÌÌà àAlternatively,€we€note€that€the€record€contains€substantial€and€material€evidence€toÏsupport€the€conclusion€that€Jones€was€disqualified€from€receiving€unemployment€compensationÏbecause€he€voluntarily€left€his€employment€without€good€cause.€€òòò òSeeóóó ó€T.C.A.€ðð€50„7„303(a)(1)Ï(Supp.€1996).€€A€voluntary€act,€or€a€failure€to€act,€ð ðwith€knowledge€that€discharge€will€follow€canÏbe€considered€a€voluntary€leaving.ðð€€òòò òSutton€v.€Traughberóóó ó,€1989€WL€48782,€at€*3€(Tenn.€App.ÏMay€12,€1989).€€In€òòò òSuttonóóó ó,€the€claimant€violated€her€employerððs€work€rule€which€provided€that,€ifÏan€employee€was€absent€for€three€consecutive€days€without€calling€in,€the€employee€was€deemed€toÏhave€quit.€€òòò òIdóóó ó.€€This€court€affirmed€the€denial€of€unemployment€compensation€benefits,€holdingÏthat€ð ðgiven€[the€employerððs]€policy€and€[the€claimantððs]€knowledge€of€that€policy,€her€failure€to€callÏin€while€being€out€from€work€for€three€consecutive€days€amounted€to€a€voluntary€quitting€thatÏdisqualified€her€for€unemployment€benefits.ðð€€òòò òIdóóó ó.€at€*4.ÌÌà àIn€the€present€case,€Job€Shopððs€policies€and€procedures€required€Jones€(1)€toÏcontact€Job€Shop€if€he€was€unable€to€report€for€work,€and€(2)€to€contact€Job€Shop€for€his€next€jobÏassignment.€€These€policies€and€procedures€provided€that€Jonesðð€failure€to€comply€would€be€anÏindication€that€he€had€voluntarily€quit.€€In€light€of€these€policies€and€procedures,€Jonesðð€failure€toÏnotify€Job€Shop€of€his€absence€on€February€16,€1996,€and€his€subsequent€failure€to€contact€JobÏShop€for€his€next€job€assignment€amounted€to€a€voluntary€quitting€that€disqualified€him€fromÏreceiving€unemployment€compensation€benefits.ÌÌà àThe€trial€courtððs€judgment€is€affirmed€and€this€cause€remanded€for€furtherÏproceedings€consistent€with€this€opinion.€€Costs€of€this€appeal€are€taxed€to€Appellant,€for€whichÏexecution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àFARMER,€J.ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌCRAWFORD,€P.J.,€W.S.€(Concurs)ÌÌÌÌ______________________________ÌWILLIAMS,€Sp.€J.€(Concurs)Ìà à›