ÿWPCò .# ”U:Ÿ %Ù 0ûßw@Ú4. =C 0JK 0T• 0^é 0hG 0r¯ 0|! 0† 0# 1u³ 0d( U*Œ B)¶ AQß Æ0 0Dö 0@: 0Dz DC¾ D/ B0 BM D3j AM ·ê v~¡vÓ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLhÎ,c½¬AZ‹"Arial RegularX(Ó~Ð$¡¡Ñ  ÑÒH°ÒÒ°ÒÑTR[  AØ'ÿ LegalLˆhÐ (Avery 4167 Post Card AØ'ÿ LegalhÐ (Avery 4167 Post CardTÑÔ€Xm¢XXXÔÑ7€¥3XXdìXXdæ7Ñ gDhDiUjDkDlDmUnUoÓ€yê‚_#3|xyH2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ< Œ 9p`(Arial% Line 7 d!"#$&Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó7Border 1dd(('÷ÿ dxd düÿP Pd'''''ÿÿdxd!#%Cþÿ << Gÿÿ ­Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€d#ÑÝ  ÝÝ ƒ""ÝÝ  ÝÔ€ÔÓ  Óò òÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€XÔÌÌNovemberÏ7,Ï1997ÌÌCecilÏW.ÏCrowsonÌAppellateÏCourtÏClerkÔ  Ôó óPtPtHHÚ(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 ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÑ  ÑÒ  ÒÒ H ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÑ#€Xd#ÑÝ  Ýò òÞ ÞÌMAXINE›€NELSON,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€County€ChanceryÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà àà à)à àNo.€95„2626„IIIÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.̜ـ!ÙßR€*+%A1-j|ÿÝ` à. `€€@ÿRß›à àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01A01„9703„CH„00141ÌPACESETTER€CORPORATION,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà à)ÌÌÓ  ÓÌÌÌÌIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌMIDDLE€SECTION€œAT›€NASHVILLEÌÌÌAPPEAL€FROM€THE€DAVIDSON€COUNTY€CHANCERY€COURTÌAT€NASHVILLE,€TENNESSEEÌÌÌHONORABLE€ELLEN€HOBBS€LYLE,€CHANCELLORÌÌÓ  Óó óÌÌÌJames€L.€HarrisÌ2400€Crestmoor€Rd.ÌNashville,€TN€37215ÌATTORNEY€FOR€PLAINTIFF/APPELLANTÌÌJohn€R.€TarpleyÌSusan€R.€High„McAuleyÌLewis,€King,€Krieg,€Waldrop€&€Catron,€P.C.ÌSunTrust€CenterÌ424€Church€Street,€Suite€900ÌP.€O.€Box€198615ÌNashville,€TN€37219ÌATTORNEYS€FOR€DEFENDANT/APPELLEEÌÌÌœ›Ìò òà@ àÔ€¼ÔAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÔ€XÔÌÌœ›ÌÌó óÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà àWILLIAM€H.€INMAN,€SENIOR€JUDGEÌÌœÌÌCONCUR:›ÌÌHENRY€F.€TODD,€PRESIDING€JUDGE,€MIDDLE€SECTIONÌœBEN€H.€CANTRELL,€JUDGE›Ìœò òÌÌMAXINE›€NELSON,à àà àà àà à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à àDavidson€County€ChanceryÌà àPlaintiff/Appellantà àà àà à)à àNo.€95„2626„IIIÌà àà àà àà àà àà à)ÌVS.à àà àà àà àà àà à)à àAppeal€No.Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)à à01A01„9703„CH„00141ÌPACESETTER€CORPORATION,à à)Ìà àà àà àà àà àà à)Ìà àDefendant/Appelleeà àà à)Ìœó ó›ÌÌò òòòà@ àÔ€¼ÔO€P€I€N€I€O€NÔ€XƠ̜̂ÌòòÓÓÓ  Óó óà àóóóóThis€is€a€suit€for€damages€for€an€alleged€retaliatory€discharge€broughtÏpursuant€to€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„1„304.€€As€winnowed,€the€plaintiff€alleges€thatÏshe€was€discharged€because€she€refused€to€participate€in€gambling€activities€whichÏwere€illegal€under€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„17„501.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€was€initially€employed€in€November€1993.€€She€resigned€inÏAugust€1994€for€reasons€not€relevant€to€this€action€and€was€œreemployed›€in€FebruaryÏ1995.€€She€was€discharged€on€August€2,€1995.Ìà àThe€defendant€filed€its€answer€denying€the€allegations€of€the€complaint.€€ItÍthereafter€filed€a€motion€for€summary€judgment€which€was€granted.€€The€plaintiffÏappeals€and€presents€for€review€the€propriety€of€summary€judgment.€€Our€review€isÏòòde€novoóó€with€no€presumption€of€correctness€of€the€trial€court.€€òòCarbide€Corp.€v.ÏHuddleston,€óó854€S.W.2d€87€(Tenn.€1993).Ìà àThe€defendant€is€engaged€in€the€telemarketing€business€in€various€citiesÏacross€the€country.€€Its€offices€compete€with€each€other€in€the€production€of€income,Ïwith€financial€awards€accruing€to€the€winner.€€This€competition€œinvolves›€variousÏschemes,€one€of€which€was€the€ðð1995€World€Seriesðð€designed€to€stimulateÏemployee€performance€in€the€Nashville€office.Ìà àThe€plaintiffððs€case€focuses€on€this€scheme.€€To€describe€it€we€defer€to€theÏplaintiffððs€testimony€given€in€her€discovery€deposition:ÌÓÓà àQ:à8 àTell€me€what€you€understand€the€World€SeriesÏPromotion€to€be.€€òòThis€is€the€first€time€from€November€ðð93Ïto€August€ðð94€that€you€were€employed€at€PacesetteróóÏ[emphasis€added].ÌÌà8 àA:à8 àThey€passed€out€the€information€about€it,€and€it€did€haveÏthe€word€ð ðgamblingðð€on€it.€€It€was€a€thing€where€you€put€inÏ5€or€10€or€20€[dollars]€or€whatever.€€The€employeesÏpooled€their€money.€€The€people,€the€managementÏpeople€like€Joe€would€of€course€make€more€money€„€„ÏMr.€Kortcamp€would€make€more€money€„€„€Iððm€sorry€„€„Ïand€the€employees€such€as€I€would€make,€I€believe,€halfÏof€it€or€something€if€we€won.ÌÌà8 àà8 àAnd€it€was€sort€of€a€war.€You€know,€they€referred€to€itÏseveral€times€as€a€battle€between€one€of€the€offices€andÏanother€one.€€We€would€play€off,€and€this€was€doneÏthrough€getting€appointments€and€getting€the€sales€andÏso€forth,€and€whether€we€won€or€whether€the€AtlantaÏoffice€won€or€whether€the€Omaha€office€won€or€one€of€theÏothers.€€And€I€said,€ð ðI€donððt€want€to€do€this.€€This€does€notÏhave€anything€to€do€with€my€job.€€I€donððt€want€to€write€aÍcheck.ðð€€Well,€they€just€kept€on€and€kept€on€and€kept€onÏthe€first€time.ÌÌà8 àà8 àAnd€so€I€thought€about€it€a€couple€of€days€„€„ÌÌà àQ:à8 àWhen€you€say€ð ðtheyðð€kept€on€and€kept€on,€who€is€ð ðtheyðð?ÌÌà8 àA:à8 àTrying€to€get€me€to€write€a€check.ÌÌà8 àQ:à8 àWho€is€ð ðtheyðð?ÌÌà àA:à8 àJoe€would€say,€ð ðHave€you€put€your€money€in?ðð€€MonicaÏwould€say,€ð ðHave€you€put€your€money€in?€€YouððreÏholding€the€group€back.€€Youððre€going€to€cause€us€not€toÏmake€our€money€expectation.ðð€€So€Joe€had€profitedÏ3,600.00€[dollars]€from€that€particular€one,€and€I€went€on€„Ï„€and€I€think€I€put€in€$5,€I€believe.€€But€I€did€it,€you€know€„€„ÏI€was€not€a€happy€camper€about€it.€€I€went€on€and€did€it€toÏget€those€people€away€from€me€and€just€to€.€.€.€.€Ìà àÌà àQ:à8 àDid€you€voice€objections€to€it€or€did€you€just€put€in€yourÏ$5?ÌÌÓ` °ŒXG"(#XÓà àA:à8 àI€put€in€my€$5,€but€they€had€hounded€me€for€several,Ïseveral€days€before€that.€€Finally,€I€just€said€„€„€you€know,Ïthey€œthink›€because€Iððm€always€saying,€you€know,€orÏlooking€at€somebody€when€they€say€the€g€„€d€„€f€orÏwhatever€they€say€„€„€and€thatððs€just€only€part€of€it;€theyÏsaid€so€many€things.€€I€finally€said,€ð ðWell,€hereððs€theÏmoney.ðð€€I€didnððt€really€follow€the€situation€that€much.€€IÏjust€at€that€point€wanted€people€to€leave€me€alone€so€IÏcould€go€on€and€do€my€work.ÌÌà àQ:à8 àDid€you€articulate€that€at€the€time?ÌÌà àA:à8 àYes.€€I€told€Joe,€I€said,€ð ðI€donððt€really,€you€know,€careÏabout€doing€this.ðð€€I€told€Monica,€ð ðI€donððt€believe€in€this.€ÏThis€has€nothing€to€do€with€my€ability€to€do€my€work.ðð€€ButÏI€did€compromise€the€first€time.ÌÌà àQ:à8 àDid€you€feel€like€you€were€forced€to€participate?ÌÌà àA:à8 àYes,€most€definitely.ÌÌÓÓà àThe€plaintiff€argues€that€the€foregoing€described€activity€constituted€theÏoffense€of€gambling€under€Tennessee€law,€and€that€her€disapproval€of€it€resulted€inÏher€discharge€in€violation€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€50„1„304€which€provides:ÌÓÓà8 àà à(a)€No€employee€shall€be€discharged€or€terminated€solely€forÏrefusing€to€participate€in,€or€for€refusing€to€remain€silent€about,€illegalÏactivities.ÌÌà8 àà à(b)€As€used€in€this€section,€ð ðIllegal€activitiesðð€means€activitiesÏwhich€are€in€violation€of€the€criminal€or€civil€code€of€this€state€or€theÏUnited€States€or€any€regulation€intended€to€protect€the€public€health,Ïsafety€or€welfare.ÌÌà8 àà à(c)€Any€employee€terminated€in€violation€of€subsection€(a)€shallÏhave€a€cause€of€action€against€the€employer€for€retaliatory€dischargeÏand€any€other€damages€to€which€the€employee€may€be€entitled.ÌÌà8 àà à(d)(1)€.€.€.€.€ÌÌò òà@ à.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€€ó óÌÌà8 àà à€€€(2)€.€.€.€.€ÌÌà8 àà à(e)(1)€This€section€shall€not€be€used€for€frivolous€lawsuits,€andÏanyone€trying€to€do€so€is€subject€to€sanction€as€provided€in€subdivisionÏ(e)(2).ÌÌà8 àà à(2)€€If€any€employee€files€a€cause€of€action€for€retaliatoryÏdischarge€for€any€improper€purpose,€such€as€to€harass€or€to€causeÏneedless€increase€in€costs€to€the€employer,€the€court,€upon€motion€orÏupon€its€own€initiative,€shall€impose€upon€the€employee€anÏappropriate€sanction,€which€may€include€an€order€to€pay€the€otherÏparty€or€parties€the€amount€of€reasonable€expenses€incurred,Ïincluding€the€reasonable€attorneyððs€fee.ÌÌœGambling,›€an€illegal€activity€in€Tennessee,€is€defined€by€statute:ÌÌà8 àò ò39„17„501.€€Definitions.€„€ó óThe€following€definitions€apply€in€thisÏpart,€unless€the€context€otherwise€requires:Ìà8 à€€(1)€ð ðGamblingðð€means€risking€anything€of€value€for€a€profit€whoseÏreturn€is€to€any€degree€contingent€on€chance,€but€does€not€include€aÏlawful€business€transaction;Ìà8 à€€(2)€ð ðGambling€betðð€means€anything€of€value€risked€in€gambling;Ìà8 à€€(3)€ð ðGambling€device€or€recordðð€means€anything€designed€for€use€inÏgambling,€intended€for€use€in€gambling,€or€used€for€gambling;Ìà8 à€€(4)€ð ðLawful€business€transaction,ðð€as€used€in€subdivision€(1),€includesÏany€futures€or€commodities€trading;Ìà8 à€€(5)€ð ðLotteryðð€means€the€selling€of€anything€of€value€for€chances€on€aÏprize€or€stake;€andÌà8 à€€(6)€ð ðProfitðð€means€anything€of€value€in€addition€to€the€gambling€bet.Ï[Acts€1989,€ch.€591,€ðð€1;€1990,€ch.€945,€ðð€1.]ÌÌÓÓà àThe€trial€judge€ruled€that€the€promotional€ðð1995€World€Seriesðð€was€not€aÏgambling€event€as€defined€by€statute.€€She€also€ruled€that€the€plaintiffððs€position€wasÏterminated€for€a€valid€reason,€which€was€uncontroverted€by€the€plaintiff.Ìà àWe€pretermit€the€issue€of€whether€the€described€promotional€scheme€wasÏgambling€within€the€purview€of€Tenn.€Code€Ann.€ðð€39„17„501€as€being€unnecessaryÏto€a€proper€resolution€of€the€case.€€Our€focus€is€more€properly€directed€to€the€issueÏof€whether€summary€judgment€was€properly€granted€because€the€plaintiff€presentedÏno€proof€that€she€was€not€terminated€for€valid,€non„discriminatory€reasons,€œsinceÏshe›€œwas›€an€employee€at€will.Ìà àThe€Rule€56€motion€was€supported€by€the€testimony€of€JosephÏœKortkamp,whose›€deposition€was€taken€by€the€œplaintiff.›€€He€testified€that€the€plaintiffÏwas€œreemployed›€as€manager€of€the€rehash€department€[which€follows€up€onÏcontacts€previously€made];€that€she€worked€about€ten€hours€a€week€because€ð ðthereÏwasnððt€anything€to€œdoðð;›€that€she€was€terminated€because€the€position€wasÏterminated€in€Nashville;€that€the€position€was€not€œreestablished,›€and€ð ðit€didnððtÏwarrant€having€somebody€full„time€do€that€œjobðð;›€that€he€offered€the€plaintiff€ð ðanotherÏjob€as€a€communicator€if€œsheððd›€like€to€stay€on,ðð€and€that€she€never€responded.Ìà àThe€affidavit€of€Steve€Jensen,€an€employee€of€the€defendant,€was€filed€inÍsupport€of€the€motion.€€He€testified€that€he€was€responsible€for€the€rehash€program;Ïthat€the€plaintiff€was€employed€as€rehash€manager€in€February€1995;€that€she€madeÏnet€sales€of€less€than€$10,000.00€through€July€1995,€the€second€lowest€in€œany›€officeÏwith€a€full„€time€manager;€that€it€was€apparent€the€position€was€not€profitable€andÏcould€not€be€œcontinued;€and›€that€it€was€eliminated€in€August€1995,€and€no€personÏreplaced€the€plaintiff€as€rehash€manager.Ìà àThe€plaintiff€testified€that€Joseph€Kortkamp€told€her€that€her€position€wasÏbeing€eliminated€and€no€other€reason€was€given€or€alluded€to.€€She€offered€noÏproof€whatever€to€refute€the€testimony€of€œKortkamp›€and€Jensen€that€the€position€ofÏrehash€manager€was€being€eliminated€as€a€business€decision.Ìà àIn€òòByrd€v.€Hall,€óó847€S.W.2d€208€(Tenn.€œ1993),›€the€Supreme€Court€explainedÏthat€the€issues€relevant€in€the€evaluation€of€a€motion€for€summary€judgment€are€(1)Ïwhether€a€factual€dispute€exists,€(2)€whether€the€disputed€fact€is€material,€and€(3)Ïwhether€the€disputed€fact€creates€a€genuine€issue€for€trial.€€When€a€properlyÏsupported€motion€is€made,€the€burden€shifts€to€the€œnonmoving›€party€to€set€forthÏspecific€factors,€not€conclusions,€by€using€affidavits€or€discovery€materialsÏestablishing€that€there€are€indeed€disputed€material€facts€creating€a€genuine€issueÏfor€trial.Ìà àThe€thrust€of€the€plaintiffððs€response€is€that€ð ðshe€believedðð€she€was€terminatedÏbecause€of€her€opposition€to€the€gambling€or€betting€scheme.€€A€mere€belief€doesÏnot€create€a€genuine€issue.€€òòNewsom€v.€Textron€Aerostructures,€óó924€S.W.2d€409Ï(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1995).€œ€In›€summary,€the€defendantððs€proof€that€the€plaintiffððs€position,Ïand€hence€her€job,€was€eliminated€for€a€legitimate,€nondiscriminatory€reason€is€notÍcontroverted,€and€summary€judgment€was€therefore€proper.€€òòAnderson€v.€StandardÏRegister€Co.,€óó857€S.W.2d€559€(Tenn.€Ct.€App.€1993).Ìà àThe€judgment€is€affirmed€at€the€costs€of€the€appellant€and€the€case€isÏremanded.ÌÌÓÓà àà àà àà àà àà à____________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌHenry€F.€Todd,€Presiding€Judge,€Middle€SectionÌÌÌÌ______________________________________ÌœBen€H.€CantrellÔ% € Ô,›€JudgeÌÌà àœ