ÿWPCp 1# ¾UDÉ %  0( 0”;4Ïãòw@ú 0D: 0J~ 0TÈ 0^ 0hz 0râ 0|T 0†Ð 0V 1uæ 0d[ 0@¿ D3ÿ B)2 DC[ AMž Bë U* 2 AQ4 Æ… 0DK 0D D/Ó Bv~vÓ˜HP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,ü,,,,,ü0nLHÎ8§ÖhZŠ,Century-WP RegularX($¡¡(D(2´¤$¤¤Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÒ°ÒÒX°ÒÓ  Óà ` àòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóóäzz!3|xÅ  ± E² ³ {´ µ E¶ · E¸ P¹ ӀŠ(#Ã$òòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóó2 ÿÿ0Indent1Ô2ÔÔ3  Ô2" ÿÿ0Indent2à0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2, ÿÿ0Indent3à0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô26 ÿÿ0Indent4à0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2@ ÿÿ0Indent5à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2J ÿÿ0Indent6à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2T ÿÿ0Indent7à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô2^ ÿÿ0Indent8à0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àà0 àÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô ÿÿ?AGMSYaioIndent0I.A.1.a.(1)(a)i)a)P ÿÿ8Mac DefaultMac DefaultÓ ` °šXÓ("ÿÿ$££Ò  ÒÒ  Ò&&&&'ÿÿdxd% Line 7 d####7Border 1dd* $Cþÿ << Gÿÿ d< Œ 9p`(Arial øÝ ƒ!ÝÔ€ÔÝ  ÝÝ ƒ+"ÝÝ  ÝÔ€'ÔÔ€'ÔÓ  ÓÔ YYY ÔFILEDÔ€'XÔÌÌò òMay€22,€1997ÌÌCecil€Crowson,€Jr.ÌÔ€'ôÔAppellate€Court€Clerkó ó*+ ,-Cþÿ<< CÿÿƒLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5(3¯$¢¢Ý ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý($$””ò òÚ  Ú1Ú  Úó ó..'÷ÿ dxdüÿP PdPtPtHHÚ(ÿáÿâùFG(üHHÚ(d'hStyl{WP}01•ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃà Ãà Ãà Ãà Ãà ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÐ ÐÐHHÐÐ  ÐÐ2ÐÐÿÿ¸æ$ÿÐÐHHÐÐÐÐÐÐÐÐ  ÐÐ ÐÐ ÐÑÑÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÑ € ÑÑ<Px–ÈÑÒÒÒ443!#4ÒÒ$ *$ÒÒ$*$ÒÒ ÿKK ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÒ  Geneva ÒÓ.,ÓÓÓÓ6ÓÓ ÓßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÑGenevaÑÑ ÑÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÒ  h HD: Geneva ÒÝ ƒ!ÝÔ . ÔÔ€ÔÝ  Ý›Ò  ÒÒ ° ÒÒ  ÒÒ X ÒÑ\R AØ'\ÑœÑ\R AØ'\Ñ›Þ ÞÌà@ àIN€THE€COURT€OF€APPEALS€OF€TENNESSEEÌà@ àWESTERN€SECTION€AT€JACKSONÌ______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌJIM€VOSS,à àà àà àà àà àà àShelby€Circuit€No.€33592997€Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àC.A.€No.€02A01„9604„CV„00082Ìà àPlaintiff,Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àà àHon.€W.€B.€Acree,€Judge̜ـ*ÙßR€%($A1-j|û` Å `€€@ÿRß›v.à àà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÌSHELTER€MUTUAL€INSURANCE€COMPANY,ÌSHELTER€GENERAL€INSURANCE€COMPANY,Ìand€SHELTER€LIFE€INSURANCE€COMPANYÌOF€COLUMBIA€MISSOURI,ÌÌà àDefendants.ÌÌGERALD€F.€EASTER€&€KAREN€R.€CICALA,€Memphis,€Attorneys€for€Plaintiff.ÌÌJAMES€E.€CONLEY€and€JOHN€H.€DOTSON,€Thomason,€Hendrix,€Harvey,€JohnsonÏ&€Mitchell,€Memphis,€Attorneys€for€Defendants.€ÌÌò òòòREVERSED€AND€DISMISSEDó óóóÌÌOpinion€filed:Ì______________________________________________________________________________ÌÌò òTOMLIN,€Sr.€J.ó óà@ àÌà àà àà àà àà àà àÌÓÓÔ€Ôà àJim€Voss€(hereinafter€ð ðVossðð€or€ð ðPlaintiffðð)€filed€suit€in€the€CircuitÏCourt€of€Shelby€County€against€Shelter€Mutual€Insurance€Company,€ShelterÏGeneral€Insurance€Company,€and€Shelter€Life€Insurance€Company€ofÏColumbia,€Missouri,€(hereinafter€ð ðShelterðð€or€ð ðDefendantðð)€seekingÍdamages€allegedly€caused€by€a€breach€of€contract,€wrongful€termination€ofÏagency€agreement,€retaliatory€discharge,€and€libel€and€slander.€€The€trialÏcourt€granted€summary€judgment€in€favor€of€Shelter€on€all€claims€exceptÏthat€of€retaliatory€discharge.€€The€case€was€tried€to€a€jury,€which€resultedÏin€a€verdict€in€favor€of€plaintiff€in€the€amount€of€$165,077.00.€€The€trialÏcourt€overruled€Shelterððs€Motion€for€a€Judgment€NOV,€or€In€theÏAlternative,€for€a€New€Trial.€€Shelter€has€raised€two€issues€for€ourÏconsideration€on€appeal:€Whether€the€trial€court€(1)Ô€Ô€erred€in€failing€toÏgrant€its€€Motion€for€a€Directed€Verdict€at€the€close€of€plaintiffððs€proof€asÏwell€as€at€the€close€of€all€the€proof;€and€(2)€in€failing€to€properly€chargeÏthe€jury€as€to€the€law€of€retaliatory€discharge.€€For€the€reasonsÏhereinafter€stated€we€reverse€the€judgment€of€the€trial€court€and€dismiss.Ìà àPlaintiff€started€in€the€insurance€business€as€an€employee€of€ShelterÏin€1982.€€In€1984€plaintiff€entered€into€an€agency€agreement€with€Shelter,Ïunder€which€he€knowingly€remained€an€employee„at„will€throughout€theÏcourse€of€his€employment.€€Ìà àIn€mid€1991€after€some€conversations€with€fellow€ShelterÏemployees€and€after€attending€a€sales€meeting€in€his€area,€Voss€made€aÏtelephone€call€to€the€Tennessee€Department€of€Insurance€and€spoke€withÏan€official€in€that€department.€€At€that€time€Voss€voiced€his€complaintsÏand€objections€concerning€the€potential€increases€of€insurance€rates€byÍShelter,€along€with€some€management€complaints.Ìà àThis€conversation€took€place€some€time€in€July,€1991.€€Later€thatÏmonth€David€Williams,€the€insurance€department€official€with€whom€VossÏtalked,€contacted€an€employee€of€Shelter€and€advised€him€of€the€details€ofÏthis€conversation.€€Several€days€later,€Shelter,€through€its€Ñ7€<XXdðXXdð7ÑTennesseeÏsales€manager,€terminated€Vossððs€employment.€€This€suit€was€filed€someÏtwo€years€later.€€Ìà@ àò òI.€The€Directed€Verdict€Issue.ó óÌà à€Shelter€moved€for€a€directed€verdict€at€the€close€of€plaintiffððsÏproof,€and€it€was€overruled.€€Shelter€renewed€its€motion€at€the€close€of€allÏthe€proof.€€It€was€again€overruled.€€These€two€rulings€by€the€trial€courtÏwere€preserved€by€Shelter€in€its€Motion€for€Judgment€NOV€or€in€theÏAlternative,€for€a€New€Trial,€where€the€trial€court€once€again€ruled€inÏfavor€of€plaintiff.€€The€principal€if€not€sole€basis€of€each€of€the€twoÏmotions€was€that€there€was€no€proof€by€plaintiff€of€any€illegal€activity€onÏthe€part€of€Shelter.€€Ìà àOur€scope€of€review€is€as€follows,€as€stated€by€the€supreme€court€inÏòòWilliams€v.€Brownóó,€860€S.W.2d€854,€857€(Tenn.€1993):ÌÓÓÌà8 à€On€review€of€the€grant€of€a€directed€verdict€on€motion€of€aÏdefendant,€it€is€not€the€office€of€an€appellate€court€to€weighÍthe€evidence.€€Rather,€it€must€take€the€strongest€legitimateÏview€of€the€evidence€in€favor€of€the€plaintiff,€indulging€in€allÏreasonable€inferences€in€his€favor,€and€disregarding€anyÏevidence€to€the€contrary.€€The€trial€judgeððs€action€may€beÏsustained€only€if€there€is€no€material€evidence€in€the€recordÏthat€would€support€a€verdict€for€the€plaintiff,€under€any€of€theÏtheories€that€he€has€advanced.ÌÌÌÓÓà àBoth€Voss€and€Shelter€in€their€respective€briefs€before€this€courtÏrely€upon€€the€provisions€of€T.C.A.€ðþÿð€50„1„304,€obviously€drawingÏdiffering€conclusions€therefrom.€€Ìà àThe€pertinent€provisions€of€this€statute,€sometimes€referred€to€asÏð ðThe€Whistle€Blowerðð€statute,€codified€as€T.C.A.€ðþÿð€50„1„304,€reads€asÏfollows:ÌÓÓÌà8 àò ò50„1„304.€€Discharge€for€refusal€to€participate€in€orÏremain€silent€about€illegal€activities,€or€for€legal€useÏof€agricultural€productð"ðDamagesð"ðFrivolousÏlawsuits.ð"ðó ó(a)€No€employee€shall€be€discharged€or€terminatedÏsolely€for€refusing€to€participate€in,€or€for€refusing€to€remainÏsilent€about,€illegal€activities.Ìà8 àÌà8 à(b)€As€used€in€this€section,€ð ðillegal€activitiesðð€meansÏactivities€which€are€in€violation€of€the€criminal€or€civil€codeÏof€this€state€or€the€United€States€or€any€regulation€intended€toÏprotect€the€public€health,€safety€or€welfare.Ìà8 àÌà8 àœ(c)›€Any€employee€terminated€in€violation€of€subsection€(a)Ïshall€have€a€cause€of€action€against€the€employer€forÏretaliatory€discharge€and€any€other€damages€to€which€theÏemployee€may€be€entitled.ÌÌà@ à*€*€*€*ÌÌÌÓÓà àThis€enactment€of€a€statutory€cause€of€action,€which€took€place€inÏ1990,€embodies€a€œcommon„law›€cause€of€œaction,›€initially€recognized€as€anÏexception€to€the€œemployee€at„will›€doctrine€in€òòClanton€v.€Cain„Sloan€Co.óó,Ï677€S.W.2d€441€(Tenn.€1984).€€Our€supreme€court€previously€consideredÏthis€cause€of€action€in€its€œcommon„law›€form€in€both€òòChism€v.€Mid„SouthÏMilling€Co.,€Inc.óó,€762€S.W.2d€552,€555„57€(Tenn.€1988)€and€shortlyÏthereafter€in€òòWatson€v.€Cleveland€Chair€Co.óó,€789€S.W.2d€538,€544€(Tenn.Ï1989).€œ€The›€òòChismóó€court,€while€recognizing€the€cause€of€action€found€thatÏthere€was€none€on€the€facts€of€the€case€there€presented.Ìà àBoth€the€òòChismóó€court€and€the€òòWatsonóó€court€showed€reluctance,€in€ourÏopinion,€to€fully€embrace€this€cause€of€action.€€The€òòChismóó€court€stated€theÏimportance€of€basing€the€cause€of€action€upon€public€policy€clearlyÏð ðevidenced€by€an€unambiguous€constitutional,€statutory€or€regulatoryÏprovision.ðð€€òòòòId.óóóó€at€556.ÌThat€court€noted€that€public€policy€guidance€was€necessary€because€aÏbalance€between€the€œemployerððs›€right€to€terminate€an€œat„will€employee›Ïover€management€and€public€policy€decisions€and€the€œemployeeððs›€right€toÏbe€protected€from€unlawful€discharge€lay€at€the€heart€of€the€law€ofÍretaliatory€discharge.€€òòòòId.óóóó€at€555.Ìà àIn€òòWatsonóó€the€court€reflected€its€reluctance€ð ðto€establish€publicÏpolicy€or€adopt€an€exception€to€the€common„law€by€placing€[its]Ïœimprimatur›€thereon€in€the€absence€of€some€constitutional€or€legislativeÏprecedent.ðð€òòòòId.óóóó€at€544.€€Ìà àIn€òòœMerryman›€v.€Central€Parking€System,€œInc.óó,€1992€WL€330404€(Tenn.ÏApp.€1992)›€œafter›€analyzing€œð ðthe›€framework€of€analysis€of€a€œcommon„law›Ïwrongful€or€retaliatory€discharge€actionðð,€this€court€found€four€elementsÏwere€necessary€for€the€existence€for€a€cause€of€action€under€the€Act:ÌÓÓÌà8 à(1)€the€plaintiffððs€status€as€an€employee€of€the€defendant;ÌÌà8 à(2)€the€plaintiffððs€refusal€to€participate€in,€or€to€remain€silentÏabout,€illegal€activities;ÌÌà8 à(3)€the€œemployerððs›€discharge€of€the€employee;ÌÌà8 à(4)€an€exclusive€causal€relationship€between€the€plaintiffððsÏrefusal€to€participate€in€or€remain€silent€about€illegalÏactivities€and€the€œemployerððs›€termination€of€the€employee.ÌÌÓÓœòòòòId.óóóó€at›€page€6.€€òòSeeóó€òòalsoóó€òòAnderson€v.€Standard€Register€Co.óó,€857€S.W.2d€555,Ï585€(Tenn.€1993).à àœÌà àWhile›€not€relevant€to€the€issue€before€this€court€at€this€time,€ourÏsupreme€court€in€the€case€of€òòMason€v.€Kenneth€M.€œSetton›,€et€alóó,€œNo.€03S01„9606„CV„00061€slip€op.€(Tenn.€April€7,€1997)€has›€held€that€this€Act€doesÍnot€require€a€showing€that€the€employer€instructed€the€employee€toÏrefrain€from€reporting€the€illegal€activity.€€In€so€ruling€the€òòMasonóó€courtÏstated:€ð ðRemaining€silent€is€the€opposite€of€speaking€out,€and€refusing€toÏremain€silent€is€the€same€as€speaking€out.€€The€clear€meaning€of€theÏstatute€is€that€employees€have€the€absolute€right€to€speak€out€aboutÏillegal€activities€in€their€work€places.ðð€œId.€at€page€19.›Ìà àWe€next€turn€to€the€first€element€of€plaintiffððs€òòprima€facieóó€case,€i.e.,Ïwhether€he€had€engaged€in€protected€activity.€€In€that€regard€the€ActÏprovides€that€ð ðno€employee€shall€be€terminated€solely€for€.€.€.€refusing€toÏremain€silent€about,€illegal€activities.ðð€œT.C.A.€ðþÿð€50„1„304(a).›€ð ðIllegalÏactivitiesðð€is€defined€as€ð ðactivities€which€are€in€violation€of€the€criminalÏor€civil€code€of€this€state€or€of€the€United€States,€or€of€any€regulationÏintended€to€protect€the€public€health,€safety,€or€œwelfare.ðð€T.C.A.€ðþÿð€50„1„304(b).›€œThe›€incident€that€would€have€to€rise€to€this€level€to€satisfy€thisÏdefinition€would€of€course€be€plaintiffððs€conversation€about€defendant,Ïrelated€in€a€telephone€call€to€a€member€of€the€Tennessee€InsuranceÏDepartment.€€Both€parties€stipulated€that€the€contents€of€saidÏconversation€were€specifically€detailed€in€the€following€memorandumÏentered€into€evidence€at€trial:€ÌÓÓœ›œà à›œTO:›à àMax€DillsÌà àÌà àFrom:€Lanny€BartonÌÌà8 àDavid€Williams€of€the€Tennessee€Insurance€Department€calledÏtoday€concerning€the€status€of€an€auto€rate€filing.ÌÌà8 àIn€the€conversation€he€stated€Shelter€has€an€agent€who€isÏtrying€to€get€us€ð ðin€a€whole€bunch€of€troubleðð.€€The€agent,€JimÏVoss€of€Somerville,€Tennessee€recently€called€David.€€DavidÏsaid€the€agent€was€ð ðmad,€real€madðð.€€David€said€the€same€agentÏalso€called€him€last€year.€€David€made€the€following€commentsÏabout€the€phone€conversation:ÌÌà8 àà8 à„Agent€was€extremely€upset€with€rate€increases€inÏall€lines.€€He€stated€Shelter€is€running€him€out€ofÏbusiness€because€the€rates€are€so€high.€€AgentÏstated€the€company€is€making€so€much€money€thatÏwe€recouped€all€of€1990€losses€in€the€first€quarterÏof€1991.€€Agent€stated€he€was€sending€David€a€copyÏof€a€letter€from€the€Tennessee€State€Sales€ManagerÏwhich€included€this€information.ÌÌà8 àà8 à„Agent€stated€the€company€was€ð ðcleaning€upðð.€ÏCompany€management€is€looking€out€only€forÏthemselves,€not€the€policyholders.ÌÌà8 àà8 à„An€employee€was€promoted€to€President€only€oneÏto€one€and€one„half€years€before€retirement€only€soÏthe€employee€could€receive€higher€benefits.ÌÌà8 àà8 à„Someone€should€be€watching€out€for€this€company.€ÏThere€will€be€a€change€in€presidents€in€the€futureÏand€it€has€already€been€worked€out€as€to€who€willÏget€the€position.ÌÌà8 àDavid€also€said€the€agent€mentioned€he€has€the€Secretary€ofÏthe€Speaker€of€the€Tennessee€Senate€(Wilder)€insured.ÌÌà8 àDavid€suggested€that€someone€from€Shelter€might€want€to€talkÏto€the€agent.€€David€requested€that€his€name€not€be€used€but€heÏrealized€that€the€agent€would€know€where€the€informationÏcame€from.ÌÌÌÓÓà àWhile€there€is€other€testimony€by€plaintiff€in€the€record€as€to€whatÏmay€have€prompted€plaintiff€to€call€the€Insurance€Department,€there€isÏnothing€in€the€record€to€the€effect€that€plaintiff€told€any€of€this€to€theÏInsurance€Department€official.€Ìà àPlaintiff€contends€that€The€Public€Protection€Act€is€a€remedialÏstatute,€in€that€it€introduces€regulations€conducive€to€the€public€good,€andÏas€such€should€be€construed€liberally€and€in€furtherance€of€the€statuteððsÏpurpose,€citing€òòLoftin€v.€Langsdonóó,€813€S.W.2d€475€(Tenn.€App.€1991).€€ForÏthe€sake€of€this€opinion,€we€will€concur.€€However,€we€point€out€that€inÏòòLoftinóó€the€middle€section€of€this€court€set€forth€several€other€longÏstanding€rules€of€statutory€construction€that€are€to€be€followed€by€theÏcourts€of€this€state.€€Some€of€these€tried€and€true€principles€are€asÏfollows:€In€construing€a€statute€it€is€the€duty€of€the€court€to€give€everyÏword€and€phrase€meaning.€€òòUnited€Canners,€Inc.€v.€Kingóó,€696€S.W.2d€525,Ï527€(Tenn.€1985).€€Questions€involving€statutory€construction€must€beÏanswered€in€light€of€reason,€having€in€mind€the€object€of€the€statute€andÏthe€mischief€it€aims€at.€€òòState€v.€Nettoóó,€486€S.W.2d€725,€728€(Tenn.€1972).€ÍFurthermore,€in€construing€a€statute€the€intention€of€the€legislature€is€toÏbe€gathered€from€words€it€has€used€and€not€from€words€it€has€chosen€notÏto€include.€€òòDwyer€v.€Progressive€Bldg.€&€Loan€Assoc.óó,€20€Tenn.€App.€16,€94ÏS.W.2d€725,€729€(1935).€€This€statute,€like€all€statutes,€must€be€applied€inÏits€present€form€unless€doing€so€would€result€in€ð ðmanifest€injustice.ðð€ÏòòScarboro€v.€First€American€Bankóó,€619€œF.2d›€621€œ(6th€Cir.€1980).›€€And€lastly,Ïwe€must€take€the€words€of€this€statute€in€their€natural€and€ordinary€senseÏwithout€forcing€a€construction€upon€them€which€would€limit€theirÏmeaning.€€òòState€v.€Thomasóó,€635€S.W.2d€114€(Tenn.€1982).Ìà àWhen€we€examine€the€contents€of€the€sole€conversation€betweenÏplaintiff€and€the€official€of€the€Tennessee€Insurance€Department,€which€byÏstipulation€was€admitted€by€plaintiff€to€be€ð ðrelatively€accurateðð,€and€toÏwhich€plaintiff€did€not€seek€to€add€any€content,€we€are€of€the€opinion€thatÏplaintiff€failed€to€introduce€evidence€of€any€ð ðillegal€activitiesððð"ðnamely,Ïactivities€ð ðdescribed€in€violation€of€any€civil€or€criminal€code€orÏregulations€of€this€state€or€country,€intended€to€protect€the€public€health,Ïsafety€or€welfare.ðð€€To€the€contrary,€the€first€paragraph€thereof€merelyÏstates€that€the€rates€being€charged€by€Shelter€were€so€high€that€it€wasÏadversely€affecting€his€business.€€The€thrust€of€the€balance€of€theÏcomplaints€involve€only€complaints€about€management.Ìà àClearly,€the€activities€thus€reported€in€no€way€could€be€consideredÏð ðillegal€activitiesðð€within€the€meaning€of€the€statute.€€In€addition,€it€wasÏstipulated€to€by€the€parties€that€no€illegal€activities€on€the€part€ofÏdefendant€took€place€in€regard€to€the€establishment€of€insurance€rates.€€InÏour€opinion€this€dispute€involved€only€a€combination€of€a€corporateÏmanagement€dispute€coupled€with€a€personal€financial€problem€ofÏplaintiff.€€Plaintiff€did€not€report€any€illegal€activity€in€his€telephoneÏconversation€with€the€Insurance€Department.€€There€was€no€proof€of€anyÏviolation€of€any€established€public€policy.€€Accordingly,€this€court€is€ofÏthe€opinion€that€the€trial€court€erred€in€failing€to€grant€defendantsðð€MotionÏfor€Directed€Verdict€at€the€close€of€plaintiffððs€proof,€on€the€ground€thatÏplaintiff€failed€to€establish€a€òòprima€facieóó€case.€€Ìà àIn€light€of€our€opinion€as€to€this€issue,€we€pretermit€ShelterððsÏsecond€issue€pertaining€to€the€jury€charge.€€Accordingly,€the€judgment€ofÏthe€trial€court€is€Ìreversed€and€plaintiffððs€suit€is€dismissed.€€Costs€in€this€cause€on€appealÏare€taxed€to€plaintiff,€for€which€execution€may€issue€if€necessary.ÌÌÌÓÓÔ€Ôà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àTOMLIN,€Sr.€J.ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àFARMER,€J.à àà àà à(CONCURS)ÌÌÌÌà àà àà àà àà àà à________________________________________Ìà àà àà àà àà àà àLILLARD,€J.à àà àà à(CONCURS)Ì