ÿWPC) …# VUFa %§ 0@­4í  w@ 0„P 0DÔ  0Î 0\î 0JJ 0T” 0^è 0hF 0r® 0| 0†œ 0" 1u² 0d' B‹U6¨B)Þ D3DC: AM} 0@ÊU* ,4"`f‚ è«ˆv~3vÓ± AO„ÆÓ 0D™ D/Ý B ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLdÒ<¾½Q 9Z ‹.Courier New RegularX(ù$¡¡Ó  ÓÓ  Ó ƒØ"¡Ó 3|xv bEcEdeDfDghDiDjkÓ€(4(3DX$¤¤Ý ƒù!ÝÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  Ýà  àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó<IID¡:QuickFormat1Ô‡XÔÔ‡XÿÿXÔÔ  ÔÓÓÔ‡XÔÔ‡XÿÿXÔÔ  ÔÓÓ(43=K$§§Ý ƒù!ÝÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  Ý2 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`(Courier New% Line 7 d&&&&'ÿÿdxd))))7Border 1dd€-+Cþÿ << Gÿÿ("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò< Œ 9p`(Arial "Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÔ€.ÔÔ€.ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€.XÔÌÌò òJuly€2,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€.ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ $Ýà àòòÚ  ÚÚ  ÚóóÝ  ÝòòThere€are€eighty„nine€appellants€in€this€case.€€A€complete€list€isÏattached€to€this€opinion€as€Appendix€A.óóÌ \Ñ\R AØ'\Ñ –Ý ƒ!ÝÑ#€d#ÑÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ'ÝÝ  Ýà@ àAPPENDIX€A ¡Ý ƒ!ÝÑ  ÑÑ#€d#ÑÔ€(ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÝ ƒ'ÝÝ  Ýà@ àAPPENDIX€APtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$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€(ÔÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÝ  ÝÑ  ÑÑ ¸ ÑÑ Ü ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ  ÑÑ  ÑÑ\R AØ'\ÑÑ7€9œXXdÖXXdÖ7ÑÙ€€ÙßR€,/+A1-j|` Å `€€@ÿRß›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌSAMUEL€R.€ADAMS,€et€al.,€€€€€€€€€)à àKNOX€CHANCERYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9701„CH„00017Ì€€€€€€€€€€Petitioners„Appellants,)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€SHARON€BELLÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àCHANCELLORÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌMARGARET€C.€œCULPEPPER,€›€€€€€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌCommissioner€of€Tennessee€€€€€€€€)ÌDepartment€of€Employment€€€€€€€€€)ÌSecurity,€and€TENNESSEE€VALLEY€€€)ÌAUTHORITY,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Respondents„Appellees€€)ÌÌÌÌÌSAM€G.€SMITH,€JR.,€Moore€&€Smith,€P.C.,€Knoxville€for€Appellants.ÌÌÌEDWARD€S.€œCHRISTENBURY›,€General€Counsel,€ROBERT€C.€œGLINSKI›,€Assis…tant€General€Counsel,€BRENT€R.€œMARQUAND›€and€RICHARD€E.€RIGGS,ÏKnoxville,€for€Defendant,€Tennessee€Valley€Authority.ÌÌÌJOHN€KNOX€WALKUP,€Attorney€General€and€Reporter,€and€KIMBERLY€M.ÏœFRAYN›,€Assistant€Attorney€General,€Nashville,€for€Tennessee€De…partment€of€Employment€Security.ÌÌÌÌÌÇÓÓà@ àòòO€P€I€N€I€O€Nóó× ƒ0 ××  ×ÌÌà€ àMcMurray,€J.ÌÌà àà àThis€is€an€appeal€from€a€judgment€of€the€Chancery€CourtÏof€Knox€County,€affirming€the€decision€of€The€Department€of€Em…ployment€Security€Board€of€Review€in€denying€all€the€appellantsÏunemployment€compensation€benefits.€€We€affirm€the€judgment€of€theÏtrial€court.ÌÌà àSimply€stated,€the€appellants€here€voluntarily€accepted€anÏincentive€package€to€terminate€their€employment€by€the€TennesseeÏValley€Authority€(TVA).€€The€package€basically€consisted€of€aÏchoice€by€the€individual€employee€of€either€$1,000.00€per€year€forÏeach€year€of€employment,€with€a€minimum€of€$15,000.00,€or€a€lumpÏsum€payment€of€six€months€salary€or€three€years€added€to€theirÏyears€of€service€for€the€purpose€of€calculation€retirement€bene…fits.€€The€appellants€were€advised€that€if€they€accepted€either€ofÏthe€"early€out"€incentive€packages,€that€TVA€would€contest€anyÍclaim€made€for€unemployment€compensation.€€Notwithstanding,€theÏappellants€filed€applications€for€unemployment€benefits.€€BenefitsÏwere€denied€by€the€Tennessee€Department€of€Employment€Security€atÏthe€administrative€level.€€An€appeal€was€timely€made€to€the€Chan…cery€Court€for€Knox€County.€€The€chancery€court€affirmed€theÏdenial€of€benefits€and€this€appeal€resulted.ÌÌà àThe€sole€issue€presented€for€review€is€"whether€the€decisionÏof€the€Department€of€Employment€Security€Board€of€Review,€affirmedÏby€the€chancery€court,€was€in€error€by€finding€that€T.C.A.€SectionÏ50„7„303(c)(1)€was€inapplicable€to€the€facts€of€this€case€...€."ÌÌà àFirst,€we€should€note€our€standard€of€review.€€Our€standardÏof€review€is€governed€by€T.C.A.€ðð€50„7„304(I),€which€allows€courtsÏto€reverse,€remand,€or€modify€the€decision€of€the€Board€of€ReviewÏonly€if€the€decision€is€unsupported€by€substantial€and€materialÏevidence€in€light€of€the€entire€record.ÌÌÓÓà8 à€€On€appeal,€this€court€must€also€determine€whetherÏthere€is€substantial€and€material€evidence€to€supportÏthe€findings€of€fact€made€by€the€lower€tribunal.€òòJohnsonÏv.€Bibleóó,€707€S.W.2d€510,€512€(Tenn.€App.€1985).€Sub…stantial€and€material€evidence€has€been€defined€asÏ"'such€relevant€evidence€as€a€reasonable€mind€mightÏaccept€to€support€a€rational€conclusion€and€such€as€toÏfurnish€a€reasonably€sound€basis€for€the€actions€underÏconsideration.'"€òòSouthern€œRy›.€Co.€v.€State€œBd›.€Of€Equal…izationóó,€682€S.W.2d€196,€199€œ(Tenn.›€1984)(òòquoting€PaceÏv.€Garbage€œDist›óó.,€54€Tenn.€App.€263,€390€S.W.2d€461,€463Ï(Tenn.€App.€1965)).€If€the€record€contains€such€evi…dence,€review€by€this€court€is€confined€to€whether€theÏlower€tribunal€erred€when€it€applied€the€law€to€theÏfacts€found,€that€is,€review€is€confined€to€a€de€novoÏreview€as€to€questions€of€law.€òòœPerryman›€v.€Bibleóó,€653ÏS.W.2d€424,€429€(Tenn.€App.€1983);€òòIrvin€v.€œBinkley›óó,€577ÏS.W.2d€677,€678€(Tenn.€App.€1978).ÌÌòòPayne€v.€œCulpepper›óó,€1997€Tenn.€App.,€LEXIS€25.ÌÌÓÓÌà àThe€dispositive€œquestion€here›€is€whether€T.C.A.€ðð€50„7„303(c)(1)€is€applicable€to€the€facts€of€this€case.€€T.C.A.€ðð€50„7„303(c)(1)€(in€effect€at€the€times€under€consideration€here)€pro…vided€as€follows:ÌÌÓÓà8 àÔ&  Ô(c)€€Qualifications.€Notwithstanding€any€other€provisionÏof€law€to€the€contrary:Ì€Ìà8 àà0 à(1)€Benefits€shall€not€be€denied€under€this€chapterÏÔ'  Ôto€any€otherwise€eligible€claimant€for€separationÏfrom€employment€pursuant€to€a€labor„managementÏcontract€or€agreement,€or€pursuant€to€an€estab…lished€employer€plan,€program,€policy,€layoff€orÏrecall€which€permits€the€claimant€(employee),Ïòòò òbecause€of€lack€of€workó óóó,€to€accept€a€separationÏfrom€employment.€However,€benefits€shall€be€deniedÍa€claimant€for€separation€from€employment€resultingÏfrom€the€claimant's€acceptance€of€an€employer'sÏprogram€which€provides€monetary€incentives€toÏemployees€for€voluntarily€terminating€their€œemploy…ment.€€(Emphasis€added).›ÌÌÓÓÌà àIn€the€final€analysis,€the€question€becomes€a€question€ofÏfact.,€i.e.,€whether€the€claimants€were€offered€the€incentiveÏpackage€because€of€"lack€of€work."€€If€the€incentive€package€wasÏoffered€because€of€"lack€of€work"€the€œclaimants›€are€entitled€toÏunemployment€benefits.€€Otherwise,€they€are€not.ÌÌà àThe€trial€court€œdetermined,›€and€we€agree,€that€there€wasÏsubstantial€evidence€in€the€record€to€demonstrate€that€the€œclaim…ants›€left€their€employment€voluntarily€to€receive€the€"early€out"Ïincentives.€€The€trial€court€further€found€that€there€was€no€lackÏof€work€at€the€time€the€œclaimants›€resigned.€€The€record€clearlyÏreflects€that€at€the€time€the€œclaimants›€accepted€the€early„outÏincentive€package,€they€had€the€option€of€working.€€They€wereÏguaranteed€work€through€the€fiscal€year€1995,€even€though€some€ofÏthe€œclaimants'›€jobs€were€determined€to€be€"at€risk"€and€faced€aÏlikelihood€of€a€reduction€in€force€at€some€later€time.€€We€agreeÍwith€the€conclusion€of€the€chancellor€that€"concern€about€a€poten…tial€lack€of€work€in€the€future€does€not€constitute€a€present€lackÏof€work."€ÌÌà àIn€conclusion,€we€find€that€the€œclaimants›€do€not€qualify€forÏbenefits€under€the€provisions€of€T.C.A.€ðð€50„7„303(c)(1).€€ThereÏis€substantial€and€material€evidence€in€the€record€to€support€theÏfindings€of€the€Board€of€Review€and€the€judgment€of€the€trialÏcourt.ÌÌà àAccordingly,€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed€inÏall€respects.€€Costs€are€assessed€to€the€appellants€and€this€caseÏis€remanded€to€the€trial€court.ÌÌÌÓÓà€ à______________________________Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€Don€T.€McMurray,€JudgeÌÌÌÌCONCUR:ÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌCharles€D.€Susano,€Jr.,€JudgeÌÌÌ___________________________________ÌWilliam€H.€Inman,€Senior€JudgeÌÇÑ  ÑÑ7€ûpXXd×XXd×7Ñà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALSÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌSAMUEL€R.€ADAMS,€et€al.,€€€€€€€€€)à àKNOX€CHANCERYÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àC.A.€NO.€03A01„9701„CH„00017Ì€€€€€€€€€€Petitioners„Appellants,)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ìvs.€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àHON.€SHARON€BELLÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)à àCHANCELLORÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)ÌMARGARET€C.€œCULPEPPER,›€œ€›€€€€€€€€€)à àAFFIRMED€AND€REMANDEDÌCommissioner€of€Tennessee€€€€€€€€)ÌDepartment€of€Employment€€€€€€€€€)ÌSecurity,€and€TENNESSEE€VALLEY€€€)ÌAUTHORITY,€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€)Ì€€€€€€€€€€Respondents„Appellees€€)ÌÌÌÌà@ àò òòòJUDGMENTóóó óÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€appeal€came€on€to€be€heard€upon€the€record€from€theÏChancery€Court€of€Knox€County,€briefs€and€argument€of€counsel.€ÏUpon€consideration€thereof,€this€Court€is€of€opinion€that€thereÏwas€no€reversible€error€in€the€trial€court.Ìà àThe€judgment€of€the€trial€court€is€affirmed€in€all€respects.€ÏCosts€are€assessed€to€the€appellants€and€this€case€is€remanded€toÏthe€trial€court.ÌÌÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€PER€œCURIAMÌÑ€1ÑÇÖ€2ÖÑ  ÑÒ€X€ÒÖ€3ÖADAMS,€SAMUEL€R.ÌALLEN,€PATRICIAÌARNOLD,€PATRICIA€M.ÌAYRE,€FRANK€M.€JR.ÌBENNETT,€NORMAÌBRABSON,€WILMA€J.ÌBREEDEN,€JERRY€L.ÌCAMPBELL,€SHIRLEY€D.ÌCHURCHWELL,€BILLIE€J.ÌCOWAN,€MYRNA€J.ÌALLEN,€KENNETH€C.ÌANDERSON,€DAVID€J.ÌATCHLEY,€JOYCE€F.ÌBALL,€BETTY€J.ÌBOWMAN,€ROSE€K.ÌBRADLEY,€PAULA€K.ÌBROWN,€NEMA€P.ÌCARVER,€GLENN€T.ÌCLINE,€JAMES€NORRISÌCOX,€F.€YVONNEÌCRAWFORD,€CORINE€E.ÌDANIEL,€HOWARD€L.ÌDAVIS,€ANNIS€D.ÌDEBUSK,€MADOLYN€L.ÌDISNEY,€RONALD€W.ÌDOWNS,€SALLY€C.ÌFORRESTER,€LINDA€H.ÌGAYLON,€MARGIE€P.ÌGLIIIAM€BARBARA€ANNÌGOULD,€CHARLIE€MAEÌCUMMINS,€CHARLES€P.ÌDANIEL,€JACK€RICHARDÌDAVIS,€JOYCE€R.ÌDEFORD,€JAMES€E.€JR.ÌDOSSETT,€JOSEPH€L.ÌENGLE,€RUSSELL€D.ÌFOX,€ROBERT€K.€JR.ÌGIBSON,€BRENDA€N.ÌGOINS,€JOHN€C.€JR.ÌGREEN,€PATRICIA€R.ÌGRIGGS,€JAMES€R.ÌHAMMONS,€PERCY€J.€JR.ÌHAYES,€MELVIN€E.ÌHOWARD,€JIMMY€LEEÌKALEY,€KARY€W.ÌLASLEY,€SHIRLEY€A.ÌLEDFORD,€WANDA€SUEÌMORGAN,€VERA€SUEÌNAPIER,€LARRY€G.ÌNATIONS,€LINDA€T.ÌHALL,€JAMES€EDWARDÌHARRIS,€CHARLES€S.ÌHIXSON,€BOBBY€F.ÌHUDSON,€BILLIE€C.ÌLAMBERT,€MELVINÌLAWS,€PAT€O.ÌLEE,€THOMAS€J.ÌMORRISON,€WANDA€J.ÌNAPIER,€LINDA€M.ÌNELSON,€CURTISDENE€J.ÌÑ  ÑOFFICER,€WALTERÌOWENS,€SUSIE€Y.ÌPITTS,€THURMAN€L.ÌROBINSON,€GWEN€C.ÌSHERROD,€RUTH€G.ÌSKIPPER,€FRANCES€E.ÌSMITH,€JIMMIE€M.ÌSTERN,€DORIS€M.ÌTAYLOR,€MONA€S.ÌTHOMPSON,€SALLIE€ANNÌOGLESBY,€JANE€R.ÌPACK,€JAMES€RAYÌQUARLES,€SILAS€W.ÌSCARBROUGH,€SARAH€L.ÌSHIRLEY,€FAYE€C.ÌSMITH,€BETTY€L.ÌSOUTH,€JESSIE€T.ÌSTRONG,€STANLEY€A.ÌTAYLOR,€SHIRLEY€A.ÌTURNER,€BARBARA€J.ÌTURNER,€SARAH€J.ÌVARNER,€DOUGLAS€R.ÌWEBBER,€JAMES€Q.ÌWILSON,€ELISA€G.ÌWORMSLEY,€JERRY€ALANÌUNDERWOOD,€LOIS€S.ÌWALKER,€EDNA€LEEÌWILLIFORD,€LINDA€B.ÌWOOTEN,€GLADYS,€S.ÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌÌ›