ÿWPCr …# VU:a %› 0(¡b Éw@Õ4 ) UN8 † 0ÒŽ 0D` UN¤ ò mô † 0J‘ 0TÛ 0^/ 0h 0rõ 0|g 0†ã 0i 1uù 0dn BÒU*ïU> D3WB)ŠDC³ 0@ö AM6ùƒv~|vÓú AOÍÆ 0Dâ D/& BU˜HP LaserJet 4Si/4SiMX PS 600dpiPSCRIPTÈÚØÚÚØÈÚ0nLHÎ,†r‰AZ‹"Arial RegularX($¡¡- ù -   D  E    Ó€& D' DÒ 3|x' 6Times New Roman Regular(‚(2”1$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÓ  ÓÔ€Xô8XXXÔÒ°ÒÒ„°ÒÔ€Xô8XXXô8Ôà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularÿU‹ÿÀÀÀMcPherson v. Saturn - Opinion Í ( ' IB011C20IB011C2 .   2 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`(Arial< Œ 9p`(&Times New Roman$$$$'ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d++++7Border 1dd("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò€-,Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ïÝ ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€(ÔÝ  ÝÔ€(ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€(XÔÌÌApril€11,€1997ÌÌCecil€W.€CrowsonÌAppellate€Court€ClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva Ò€-‚ƒCþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó„„'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€(ÔÝ  Ý›Ñ Ü ÑÒ  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ „ ÒÑ X ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ€ÑÑ7€ µ »»ddÈ7ÑÔ€)ÔÔ€)¼ÔÑ  ÑÑ  Ñœ›Þ ÞÌà@ àò òÔ€)„ÔIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEE̜ـ€ÙßR€./,A1-j|,` ç `€€@ÿRß›à@ àMIDDLE€SECTION€AT€NASHVILLEÔ€)¼Ôó óÌÌÌÌDOUGLAS€McPHERSON,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àPlaintiff/Appellant,à àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€ChanceryÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àNo.€93„3444„IIÌBILLY€STOKES,€in€his€capacity€asà à)ÌCommissioner€of€the€Tennessee€à à)à àAppeal€No.ÌDepartment€of€Employment€œSecurity;›à à)à à01A01„9505„CH„00216Ìand€SATURN€CORPORATION,€aà à)Ìcorporation€doing€business€inà àà à)ÌTennessee,à àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendants/Appellees.à àà à)ÌÌÌà@ àAPPEAL€FROM€THE€CHANCERY€COURT€FOR€DAVIDSON€COUNTYÌà@ àAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌà@ àTHE€HONORABLE€C.€ALLEN€HIGH,€CHANCELLORÌÌÌòòFor€the€Plaintiff/Appellant:à àà àà àFor€the€Defendant/AppelleeóóÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòòState€of€Tennesseeóó:ÌDavid€KozlowskiÌColumbia,€Tennesseeà àà àà àà àJohn€Knox€WalkupÌà àà à€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€à àà àà àà àAttorney€General€andÏReporterÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àRobert€W.€StackÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àVernon€A.€Melton,€Jr.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TennesseeÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àòòSaturn€Corporationóó:ÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWaverly€D.€Crenshaw,€Jr.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àStephen€W.€GraceÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àWaller,€Lansden,€Dortch€&€DavisÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àNashville,€TennesseeÌÌÌÌÌà@ àò òÔ€)„ÔAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àà àÔ€)¼Ôó óWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,ÏJUDGEÇâ  ââ  âÑ   ÑÑ t ÑÓ€ÓÓ  Óà@ àò òòòÔ€)„ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€Nó óóóÔ€)¼ÔÌÌà àThis€appeal€involves€a€claim€for€unemployment€compensation€benefitsÏby€an€employee€who€declined€to€return€to€work€following€a€leave€of€absence.€ÏThe€Department€of€Employment€Security€denied€the€claim€because€theÏemployee€had€left€his€job€voluntarily€without€good€cause€connected€with€hisÏwork.€€The€Chancery€Court€for€Davidson€County€affirmed€the€denial€of€theÏemployeeððs€claim,€and€the€employee€perfected€this€appeal,€asserting€that€he€didÏnot€leave€his€job€voluntarily€because€his€employer€had€not€formally€denied€hisÏsecond€request€for€personal€leave€when€it€notified€him€of€his€separation.€€WeÏaffirm€the€denial€of€unemployment€compensation€benefits.ÌÌà@ àò òI.€ó óÌÌà àDouglas€McPherson€began€working€at€Saturn€in€June€1992.€€Six€monthsÏlater,€he€requested€a€one„month€leave€of€absence€to€enable€him€to€appear€as€aÏwitness€in€court€proceedings€in€Michigan.€€Saturn€granted€Mr.€McPhersonÏleave€from€January€11€through€¢February£€11,€1993.€€Mr.€McPherson€decidedÏto€take€additional€leave€before€his€original€leave€expired,€and€on€February€5,Ï1993,€mailed€Saturn€a€standard€form€requesting€additional€leave€until€JanuaryÏ11,€1994.€€In€an€accompanying€letter,€Mr.€McPherson€justified€his€request€forÏadditional€leave€on€ð ðan€ongoing€court€subpoena€and€unfinished€personalÏbusiness.ðð€€ÌÌà àSaturn€did€not€act€immediately€on€Mr.€McPhersonððs€second€request€forÏleave€but€apparently€telephoned€him€several€times€to€discuss€his€plans€forÍreturning€to€work.€€During€one€conversation,€a€supervisor€informed€Mr.ÏMcPherson€that€ð ðWe€donððt€think€we€can€approve€this€absence€for€the€length€ofÏtime€youððre€asking.ðð€Mr.€McPherson€remained€in€Michigan€rather€thanÏreturning€to€work,€and€on€March€5,€1993€wrote€Saturn€a€letter€insisting€onÏwritten€notice€of€ð ðSaturnððs€position€on€this€matter.ðð€€On€March€12,€1993,ÏSaturn€informed€Mr.€McPherson€that€he€was€being€ð ðseparated€.€.€.€as€aÏvoluntary€quitðð€effective€on€March€12,€1993€because€he€had€failed€to€reportÏfor€work€following€the€expiration€of€his€personal€leave€of€absence.€ÌÑ ° ÑÑ Ü Ñà àMr.€McPherson€filed€a€claim€for€unemployment€compensation€benefitsÏon€March€23,€1993.€€The€Department€of€Employment€Security€denied€hisÏclaim€on€April€1,€1993,€and€the€departmentððs€board€of€review€upheld€theÏdenial€on€October€13,€1993.€€Mr.€McPherson€then€sought€judicial€review€ofÏthe€administrative€denial€of€his€claim,€and€on€March€17,€1995,€the€ChanceryÏCourt€for€Davidson€County€affirmed€the€administrative€decision€that€Mr.ÏMcPherson€was€not€entitled€to€unemployment€compensation€benefits.ÌÌà@ àò òII.ó óÌÌà àTennesseeððs€unemployment€compensation€statutes€provide€a€system€ofÏtemporary€compensation€to€help€support€workers€who€become€unemployedÏthrough€no€fault€of€their€own.€€The€system€is€expressly€aimed€at€amelioratingÏthe€harsh€economic€effects€of€involuntary€unemployment€on€workers€and€theirÏfamilies.€€òòSeeóó€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„7„102(a)€(1991).€€Accordingly,€workersÏwho€leave€their€jobs€ð ðvoluntarily€without€good€cause€connected€with€.€.€.Ï[their]€workðð€are€not€entitled€to€receive€unemployment€compensation€benefits.€ÏTenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„7„303(a)(1)€(Supp.€1996).ÌÌà àThe€courts€review€administrative€decisions€regarding€unemploymentÏcompensation€benefits€using€the€standards€contained€in€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„7„304(¢i£)(2)€(Supp.€1996).€€The€sole€issue€presented€by€this€appeal€is€whetherÏthe€administrative€denial€of€Mr.€McPhersonððs€claim€is€based€on€a€correctÏinterpretation€and€application€of€the€statutory€ð ðvoluntary€quitððÏdisqualification.€€òòSeeóó€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„7„304(¢i£)(2)(A).€€Since€theÏmaterial€facts€in€this€case€are€essentially€undisputed,€this€issue€presents€aÏquestion€of€law.€€òòCooper€v.€¢Burson£,€óó221€Tenn.€621,€626„27,€429€¢S.W.2d£€424,Ï426€(1968);€òò¢Frogge£€v.€Davenport,óó€906€¢S.W.2d£€920,€922€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.Ï1995).ÌÌà@ àò òIII.ó óÌÌà àMr.€McPherson€justifies€his€continued€absence€from€work€by€assertingÏthat€he€was€not€required€to€return€to€his€job€until€he€received€a€formal,Ïwritten€denial€of€his€second€request€for€extended€personal€leave.€€At€theÏadministrative€hearing,€he€asserted€that€a€court€subpoena€took€precedence€overÏSaturnððs€expectation€that€he€would€return€to€work€and€insisted€that€he€ð ðdid€notÏreally€need€a€request€for€special€leave€of€absence€for€personal€reasons.ðð€€Mr.ÏMcPherson€has€cited€no€work€rule€or€other€authority€for€the€notion€that€anÏemployee€can€unilaterally€extend€his€or€her€own€leave€in€these€circumstances.ÌÌà@ àò òA.ó óÌÌà àAn€employee€need€not€form€a€specific€intent€to€quit€his€or€her€job€to€beÏdisqualified€to€receive€unemployment€compensation€benefits€under€Tenn.€CodeÏAnn.€ðð€50„7„303(a)(1).€€Courts€will€find€that€an€employee€has€voluntarilyÏterminated€employment€if€the€employee€fails€to€take€all€necessary€andÏreasonable€steps€to€protect€his€or€her€employment.€€òòFreeman€v.€District€ofÏColumbia€¢Depððt£€of€Employment€¢Servs£.,óó€568€A.2d€1091,€1093€(D.C.€1990);€òòInÏre€Claim€of€¢Bonilla£,óó€650€¢N.Y.S.2d£€360,€361€œ(N.Y.€App.›€Div.€1996);€òò¢Zielinski£Ïv.€Unemployment€Compensation€Bd.€of€Review,óó€101€A.2d€419,€420€(Pa.ÏSuper.€Ct.€1953).€€Accordingly,€a€voluntary€act€or€failure€to€act€withÏknowledge€that€termination€may€follow€can€be€considered€a€voluntary€leaving.€ÏòòSmith€v.€Department€of€Employment€Sec.,óó€780€P.2d€1335,€1336€(Wash.€Ct.ÏApp.€1989);€Paul€H.€Sanders,€òòDisqualification€for€Unemployment€Insurance,óó€8Ï¢Vand£.€L.€Rev.€307,€317„20€(1955).ÌÌà àIn€this€context,€the€word€ð ðvoluntarilyðð€connotes€the€employeeððs€volitionÏor€will€in€contrast€to€conduct€compelled€by€the€employer.€€òòCruz€v.€District€ofÏColumbia€¢Depððt£€of€Employment€¢Servs£.,óó€633€A.2d€66,€70€(D.C.€1993);Ïòò¢Dingmann£€v.€Travelers€Country€Club,óó€420€¢N.W.2d€231£,€233€(Minn.€Ct.€App.Ï1988);€òòChandler€v.€Department€of€Employment€Sec.,óó€678€P.2d€315,€320€(UtahÏ1984).€€Voluntary€acts€are€ones€taken€on€the€employeeððs€own€motion€orÏaccord.€€òòMoulton€v.€Iowa€Employment€Sec.€¢Commððn£,óó€34€¢N.W.2d£€211,€213Ï(Iowa€1948);€òòKentucky€Unemployment€Ins.€¢Commððn£€v.€Young,óó€389€¢S.W.2d£Ï451,€453€(Ky.€Ct.€App.€1965).€€œÌ›Ìà àAs€a€general€matter,€employees€who€do€not€return€to€work€following€aÏleave€of€absence€are€deemed€to€have€left€their€employment€voluntarily.€Íòò¢Nofrio£€v.€Department€of€Labor€&€Employment€Sec.,óó€442€So.€2d€268,€269Ï(Fla.€Dist.€Ct.€App.€1983);€òòIn€re€œ¢Juarez£,óó›€646€¢N.Y.S.2d£€œ735,›€œ736›€œ(N.Y.€App.›ÏDiv.€1996).€€Occasions€may€arise,€however,€that€require€an€employer€to€giveÏan€employee€the€choice€of€returning€to€work€or€being€terminated.€€Thus,Ïemployees€who€have€not€returned€to€work€have€not€lost€their€unemploymentÏcompensation€benefits€if€their€employerððs€failure€to€inform€them€that€theirÏleave€is€unacceptable€leads€them€to€believe€that€the€leave€is€excused.€€òòSeeóóÏòòGoodman€v.€¢Engle£€Homes,€Inc.,óó€621€So.2d€523,€524€(Fla.€Dist.€Ct.€App.Ï1993).€€ÌÌà@ àò òB.ó óÌÌà àThis€is€not€a€case€in€which€Saturnððs€inaction€induced€Mr.€McPherson€toÏbelieve€that€his€continuing€absence€from€work€was€excused.€€To€the€contrary,ÏMr.€McPherson€unilaterally€decided€to€extend€his€leave€when€he€knew€thatÏSaturn€expected€him€to€return€to€work.€€Saturnððs€standard€leave€form,€whichÏMr.€McPherson€filled€out€on€two€occasions,€states€that€ð ð[¢f]ailure£€to€return€toÏwork€on€the€first€scheduled€work€day€following€the€expiration€date€of€thisÏleave€will€be€considered€a€voluntary€quit,€and€separation€will€occur.ðð€€InÏaddition€to€this€warning,€one€of€Mr.€McPhersonððs€supervisors€told€him€duringÏa€telephone€conversation€following€the€expiration€of€his€first€leave€that€hisÏsecond€leave€request€would€not€be€approved.€€ÌÌà àRather€than€taking€steps€to€return€to€work€following€his€telephoneÏconversations€with€Saturn€personnel,€Mr.€McPherson€decided€to€prolong€hisÏleave€by€demanding€a€formal€written€response€to€his€request€for€leave€evenÍthough€he€already€knew€his€request€had€not€and€would€not€be€approved.€€Mr.ÏMcPherson€failed€to€take€the€steps€reasonably€necessary€to€protect€his€jobÏwhen€he€decided€not€to€return€to€work.€€His€decision€was€a€voluntary€one,€andÏthus€the€administrative€agency€properly€concluded€that€he€had€voluntarily€leftÏhis€employment€without€good€cause€connected€with€the€work.ÌÌÌÌà@ àò òIV.ó óÌÌà àWe€affirm€the€denial€of€Mr.€McPhersonððs€claim€for€unemploymentÏcompensation€benefits€and€remand€the€case€to€the€trial€court€for€whateverÏadditional€proceedings€may€be€necessary.€€We€tax€the€costs€of€this€appeal€toÏDouglas€McPherson€and€his€surety€for€which€execution,€if€necessary,€mayÏissue.ÌÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à_______________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àWILLIAM€C.€KOCH,€JR.,€JUDGEÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ______________________________ÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€¢P.J.£,€M.S.ÌÌÌ______________________________ÌBEN€H.€¢CANTRELL£,€œJUDGE›Ñ ° ÑÑ X ÑÑ7€  ~ »»d »»d7Ñœ›