WPC= RʟQq!ΆQ<>JuxNdq N2S n^*O"fEk(M + tOKU\ky}z][2bdі#%XM:cbB|_Dwbe(|#X}FHi8U]@MlO*` TGLq`~ ^ڜe8Iq>&KMѰy l1 JA0`i\utZym{>fhGtG%v)ɊLD֑"I;:4w1+Q3\mS=aO< /PqAheY9Ǻj/vTHѝx`dt9[ZEbPZ4tJqjq[jGq͑|~gTA&ag8>4Ŵ: IԱ\g5^m jT\9@I9E/se #dU>x 0d 0y 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0! 0" 0# 0$ 0% 0n& 0<& 0p&U*4( 1e^( 7( B( 0C(U ,1)]) 1ee) 0)* 0*#v+U N7- %-M-(-N- 1u- 72..^ `.wl.4p.. m.%.0N2 0>3345NF6 ASH6 06 AQ7 z7v8v8UNH9E9UN9999999999999999 D39999 0::; 0D[< A< D->= 0Kk=\  `&Times New Roman'  (Michele O'Leary(0Michele O'Leary .   4[+[ 2_level11   , 8.` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[+[ 0_level2   X 8.` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[+[ 0_level3    8.4` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[+[ 0_level4    8.` ` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[+[ 0_level5    8. ` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[+[ 0_level6    8. ` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[+[ 0_level7   4 8. ` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[+[ 0_level8   ` 8.` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[+[ 0_level9    8.<` hp x (#823  ..   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl1   , 8.` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl2   X 8.` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl3    8.4` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl4    8.` ` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl5    8. ` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl6    8. ` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl7   4 8. ` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl8   ` 8.` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levsl9    8.<` hp x (#823  Ԁ   8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl1   , 8.` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl2   X 8.` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl3    8.4` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl4    8.` ` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl5    8. ` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl6    8. ` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl7   4 8. ` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl8   ` 8.` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  2[[ 0_levnl9    8.<` hp x (#823     8.` hp x (#8  <:Default ParaXXX<:Footnote Ref2+} 0_level1              ? ;1 4 <DL!(#;23  ..  e[X` hp x (#e  %2A`Arial(35;AGMSY_1i.i.i.i.i.i.i.i."i. d($    ,iAZArial    35;AGMSY_21)11111111111111(2|$ +y!..      -XXX-XXXX-X  XXX  0  #|x(ry$..      -X XX-XX XX-X HP LaserJet 4000 Series PCL 60(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular-X3#37=CIQYag1.a.i.(1)(a)(i)1)a)2i)K) e+)2+00U  )|$..      -XXX-XXXX-XXXX  2    _!$XX!X$XX!$TheRobertsonbrothersareunclesofthePhillipsbrothers.TheRobertsonshad  workedforTHIasoneofitsthree sidingcrewsfortwelveyears.#XXX!X$##XXX #  )|$..      -XXX-XXXX-XXXX  1    _!$XX!X$XX!$Andsoffitsandoccasionallyothermiscellaneousitems.#XXX!X$# <h)..      -XXX-XXXX-X  _ܟXX@  1  (3h$ +y!..      -XXX-XXXX-X  ݂Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5^B]`YE<<C(3h$ +y!..      -XXX-XXXX-X  _]cb&OLE 2.0 Box <=8C HKKKKEC:\PROGRA~1\COREL\WORDPE~1\TEMPLATE\CUSTOM~1\REVISE~1.WPTC:\Program Files\Corel\WordPerfect Office 2000\Template\Custom WP Templates\revised standard opinion.wpt("  Z6Times New Roman Regular(9 Z 6Times New Roman Regular$$$$'dxd(3h$ +y!..      -XXX-XXXX-X  ݃Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5Level 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  _]cb I&mage <=8C HKKKK)!dxdx( $ Figure  1  +y!..      -XXX-XXXX-X  _       !X$XXX  "(832  ;INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL  ATNASHVILLE  | ScottLewisPhillipsv.TennesseeHomeImprovements,Inc. H DirectAppealfromtheJacksonCountyCircuitCourt  d No.11780199,ClaraWillisByrd,Judge  J 򀀀    No.M199901477WCR3CVMailedSeptember7,2000   Ѐ!.X!X$Ԁ#!X$X!.#󀀀FiledOctober11,2000 x  d  ThisworkerscompensationappealhasbeenreferredtotheSpecialWorkers   CompensationAppealsPanelinaccordancewiththeTenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)   forhearingandreportingfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw.Theappellant,avinyl  sidingcompany,contendsthetrialcourterredinfindingasidinginstallertobean i employeeratherthananindependentcontractor.Thepanelhasconcludedthatthe O judgmentofthetrialcourtfindingtheinstallertobeanemployeeshouldbeaffirmed. 5  Tenn.CodeAnn.506225(e)(3)AppealasofRight;JudgmentoftheCircuit Q CourtAffirmed. 7    FrankG.Clement,Jr.,_Sp.J._,deliveredtheopinionofthecourt,inwhichFrankF.  _Drowota_,III,J.,andJohnA._Turnbull_,_Sp.J._,joined.  SeanA.Hunt,Spicer,Flynn&Rudstrom,PLLC,Nashville,TN,fortheappellant e TennesseeHomeImprovements,Inc. K CraigP.FicklingandWilliamA.Cameron,RonaldThurman&Associates,Cookville,  g TN,fortheappelleeScottieLewisPhillips.  M   TennesseeHomeImprovement,Inc.( THI),appellant,isinthebusinessof "! sellingandinstallingvinylsiding.Itisasmallcompanywithoneshareholder,Mrs. #" OleanGrisham.THIentersintohomeimprovementcontractswithhomeownersand $# engages(oremploys)twoman sidingcrewstoinstallthesidingspecifiedinthehome {% $ improvementcontracts.ScottieLewisPhillips( Phillips),appellee,andhisbrother a&!% TerryPhillipsworktogetherasa sidingcrewinstallingvinylsidingforTHI.Since G'"& Januaryof1995,thePhillipsbrothershaveworkedexclusivelyforTHI. -(}#'    `    XThisclaimarosewhenPhillipswasinjuredonSeptember15,1995,whenhefell )I%)  approximatelyfifteenfeetoffascaffoldwhileinstallingvinylsidingforaTHIcustomer. */&* Hesustainedinjuriestobothfeet.ThetrialjudgefoundPhillipswasan   employeeofTHI(notanindependentcontractor)andawardedcoverageunderthe  workerscompensationlaw. h    |  b _THI_Ԁconductsitsbusinessinthefollowingmanner.THIentersintoahome H improvementcontractwiththehomeowner.TheTHIcontractwithahomeowner . ~ providesforthesaleandinstallationofvinylsiding: %  1      .Inconsiderationforthecontract  d pricewiththehomeowner,THIprovidesthevinylsidingandatwoman sidingcrewto  J installthesiding.Thehomeownershasnoinvolvementintheselectionoftheinstallers,  0 feespaidforinstallation,orthespecificworkschedule.Formorethattwelveyears,THI    hasusedthreetwoman sidingcrews.Since1995,thePhillipsbrotherswereoneof    thethreecrewswhoinstalledsidingfor_THI_.    `    InJanuary1995,THIenteredintoanoralagreementwiththePhillipsbrothers, ^  thepurposeofwhichwastoinstallsidingwhenandwhereTHIdirected.ThePhillips D  brotherswere hiredby_THI_ԀwhentheRobertsonbrothersretired.9n %  2      ׀Neitherthe *z  RobertsonsnorthePhillipshadwrittenagreementswithTHI. `  F PursuanttotheiroralagreementwithTHI,ScottiePhillipsandhisbrotherTerry , weretoinstallsidingasatwomancrew.Theagreementprovidedinpertinentpartthat  THIwouldpay$40.00foreach100squarefeetofvinylsidingputonahouseand$1.25  persquarefootofsoffitinstalled.ThePhillipswererequiredtokeeprecordsofthe  amountofsidinginstalled,alongwithanyotherincidentalsforwhichtheymaybe t entitledtobereimbursed,andtosubmitinformaldocumentationtoTHIforpaymentat Z jobsend.Theyreceivepaymentfortheirservicesuponajobscompletion.Thepayfor @ eachjobwasdividedequallybetweenthePhillipsbrothers,eachbrotherreceived &v separatepaymentfortheirwork.Nosocialsecurityorwithholdingsweretakenoutof  \ theircompensation,norwasanIRSform1099preparedorprovidedtothePhillipsor B theIRSasisrequiredwhencompensatingindependentcontractors. (   The_THI_ԀagreementwithPhillipsalsoprovidedthatPhillipswouldfurnishthe  necessarytools,however,Phillipscouldrequestadditionalequipmentortoolswhich   theybelievedwereneededforaTHIjob,andifapprovedbyTHI,suchequipmentand p!  toolswouldbepaidforbyTHI.Phillipscoulddeterminewhenhestoppedforlunch, V"! whetherhewouldworkafullorhalfday,whetherhewouldworkininclementweather, <#" andwhetherhewouldworkonSaturdays.However,ifPhillipswantedtotaketheday "$r# offhehadtogetTHIspermissioninadvance.   p      x   %X $     `  %>!% PhillipsagreementwithTHIgaveTHIimportantaspectsofcontrolincludingwhen   Phillipswastobeatworkeverydayandwhichjobshewastoworkon.Moreover,if  Phillipswantedtotakeasickorvacationday,hehadtoobtainTHIsapproval. | Furthermore,PhillipsservicesweresubjecttobeingterminatedbyTHIatanytime b withoutlimitation. H  . ~ Thestandardofreviewinworkerscompensationcasesisdenovouponthe  d record,accompaniedbyapresumptionofthecorrectnessofthetrialcourtsfindingsof  J fact,unlessthepreponderanceoftheevidenceisotherwise._Galloway_Ԁv.Memphis  0 DrumService,822S.W.2d584,586(Tenn.1991).Becauseworkerscompensation    lawmustberationallybutliberallyconstruedtopromoteandadheretotheActs    purposeofsecuringbenefitstothoseworkerswhofallwithinitscoverage,doubtswillbe   resolvedinfavoroffindingthataworkerisanemployeeratherthananindependent x  contractor.Id.    ^   `     h   $ l<` Thefactorstobeconsideredindeterminingwhetheranindividualisanemployee *z  oranindependentcontractorare:1)therighttocontroltheconductofwork,2)theright ` oftermination,3)themethodofpayment,4)thefreedomtoselectandhirehelpers,5) F thefurnishingoftoolsandequipment,6)selfschedulingofworkhours,and7)the , freedomtoofferservicestootherentities.Tenn.Ann.Code506102(10).Whileallthe  factorsareimportant,the righttocontrolistheprimarytest._Masiers_Ԁv.ArrowTransfer  &StorageCo.,639S.W.2d654,656(Tenn.1982).However,noneofthesetests,  standingalone,isconclusive.Id.Eachparticularrelationshipmustbeexaminedand t thecircumstancesweighed.Lindseyv.Johnson,601S.W.2d923,925(Tenn.1980). Z Ѐ `     h  @ ThetrialjudgefoundthatPhillipswasanemployee,andthoughitisaclose &v issue,severalfactssupportthetrialjudgesfindingthatPhillipswasanemployee.First,  \ THIsrighttoterminatePhillipswasunrestrictedforTHIhadtherighttoterminate B Phillipsservicesatanytime.Thepowertoterminateisasignificantindicatorofan ( employeremployeerelationshipbecausesucharightisincompatiblewithan  independentcontractorsfullcontrolofthework.Galloway,822S.W.2dat587;Owens  v.Turner,362S.W.2d793,794(Tenn.1962).Second,THImandatedthetimeatwhich   Phillipswastobeginwork.Third,THIdeterminedwhichjobsPhillipswouldworkon, p!  andspecifically,whetherPhillipswouldgotoadifferentjobtohelpanotherTHI siding V"! crewstayonschedule. <#"  "$r# Other controlfactorsarepresentwhichalsosupportthetrialjudgesfinding. %X $ Specifically,PhillipshadtonotifyTHIifhewassickorwantedtonotwork.Further, %>!% whenTHIhadworkforPhillips,hewasexpectedtoworkeveryday,including &$"& Saturdays.Additionally,itwasnotuncommonforthePhillipsto assistother_THI_ ' #' sidingcrewswhowereworkingtocompleteother_THI_Ԁprojects.WhenPhillipsassisted (#( othercrewsonotherprojects,theywerepaidbythehour,notbythe contractamount )$) of$40perhundredsquarefeetofsiding.WhiletheopportunityneveraroseforPhillips l*%* toworkforanotherwhen_THI_Ԁhadnojobs,becausetheystartedanewassignmentfor R+&+ _THI_Ԁuponcompletionofeach_THI_Ԁjob,_THI_ԀineffectprohibitedPhillipsfromrenderinghis 8,', servicestoothers.Furthermore,thoughtheevidencewascontradicted,therewas  evidencethatMrs._Grisham_ԀtoldthePhillipstheywerenotpermittedtoacceptworkfrom  anyotheremployer. |  b TheevidencealsoshowedthatMrs.GrishamexplainedtothePhillipswhenthey H werehiredthatsheexpectedeverythingtobedoneherway,thatonceajobwas . ~ completedsheexpectedthesitetobecleaned,thatsheexpectedthatallofher  d  employeesmissaslittleworkaspossible,andthatsheexpectedthemtobeonajob  J siteby8:30eachmorning.    0     OneofthemoreintriguingfactorsisthatScottiePhillipsbrother,Terry,signeda     NoticeofEmployeetoEmployerofElectionNottoAccepttheProvisionsofWorkers   CompensationActofTennesseeinJanuary1995,thetoplinestatesthatTHI x   employedTerry.ThisisintriguingforthePhillipsbrotherswereatwomancrew,they ^  werepaidthesameandtheyareclearlybotheitheremployeesorindependent D  contractors.Mrs.GrishamtestifiedthatPhillipssignedsuchaformalthoughitisnotin *z  therecord.Grishamtestifiedthatshewasunabletofindit.Nevertheless,theintrigue ` resultingfromthisremainsforthePhillipsbrothersbothworkedforTHIunderone F indivisibleagreement;yetTHIappearstoclaimthattheappellee,ScottiePhillips,was , anindependentcontractor,whiletherecordsofTHIsuggesthisbrotherTerryPhillips  wasanemployee.THIfailedtosatisfactorilyexplainwhyitwouldhaveoneofthe  Phillipsbrotherssignaformthatwaivedhisrightstobenefitshewasnotentitledto  receiveifhewereanindependentcontractor,asTHInowclaims.  XXX!X$ t  Z &X$XXXTherecorddemonstratesthatthedecisionrenderedbythetrialcourtis @ supportedbytheevidenceandthetrialcourtmadespecificfindingsoffactand &v conclusionsoflaw,citingtheappropriatecriteriasetforthinT.C.A.506102(a)(9).  \ AlthoughthereisevidencethatsupportsTHIsassertionthatPhillipswasan B independentcontractor,wefindthattheevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainstthe ( trialcourtsfindingthatScottiePhillipswasanemployee.    Thejudgmentofthetrialcourtisaffirmed.Costsonappealaretaxedtothe   appellant,TennesseeHomeImprovements,Inc. p!   V"!  <#"  "$r#  ` 0 0 (# (#0h(#(#0h(#h(#_____________________________________%X $(#(#  ` 0 0 (# (#0h(#(#0h(#h(#FRANKG.CLEMENT,JR.,SPECIALJUDGE %>!%(#(# &r X&X$8GGXXdd8  @@7 7 INTHESUPREMECOURTOFTENNESSEE  SPECIALWORKERSCOMPENSATIONAPPEALSPANEL     #&X$X &r8=# $  &r X&X$SCOTTLEWISPHILLIPSv.TENNESSEEHOME   IMPROVEMENTS,INC.#&X$X &rv>#      " @@ CircuitCourtforJacksonCounty   @@No.11780199        j  @@*A$H) ` dE<O` A P   W  No.M199901477_WC_ԄR3CVFiledOctober11,2000 =   #s  A$H) ` dE<` A  Y    `       , [A  JUDGMENT &r X&X$#&X$X &rA#      &r X&X$#&X$X &rB#&r X&X$#&X$X &raB#IXXX&X$ ` ThiscaseisbeforetheCourtupontheentirerecord,includingtheorderofreferral  totheSpecialWorkersCompensationAppealsPanel,andthePanelsMemorandumOpinion t settingforthitsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaw,whichareincorporatedhereinby Z reference. @  &v  ` Whereupon,itappearstotheCourtthattheMemorandumOpinionofthePanel  \ shouldbeacceptedandapproved;and B  (  ` Itis,therefore,orderedthatthePanelsfindingsoffactandconclusionsoflaware  adoptedandaffirmed,andthedecisionofthePanelismadethejudgmentoftheCourt.     ` Costswillbepaidbytheappellant,TennesseeHomeImprovements,Inc.,for p   whichexecutionmayissueifnecessary. V!!  <""  ` ITISSOORDERED. "#r#  $X$  $> %  %$!&  `     h      p PERCURIAM & "'  ` #&X$XXIXB#