In my newly renewed quest to have a place for everything and everything in its place in the HCECDA office, I have been taking a little extra time in the afternoon and some occasional weekend time to further organize to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Something that I found in my files was a list of “seven things every employer should know about Tennessee Employment Law” presented by Luther Wright, Jr. of the law offices of Boult Cummings at the TIDC (now Tennessee Economic Development Council [TEDC]) 2007 Fall Conference:
- Tennessee Law views the employment-at-will doctrine as a “bedrock principle.”
- Workers’ Compensation has undergone recent corrective changes.
- Tennessee is a Right-to-Work State.
- Tennessee has great Non-Competition Law.
- Tennessee juries are historically conservative.
- Tennessee has favorable employer drug testing laws.
- Tennessee laws are favorable toward relocation and expansion.
Though I am tossing a lot of the old stuff that was packed in drawers and boxes, I am going to save and file away Mr. Wright’s list. Not as a momento of a past presentation, but because Tennessee will still be a great place to do business for these same reasons when the next HCECDA executive director marvels at our color-coded file folders and ace alphabetization.
About Daryl Phillips, CEcD
I am a professional economic developer. I presently work for communities and companies in developing and implementing workforce and economic development solutions as CEO of Phillips Economic Development Solutions (Phi EDS).
Prior to September 2017, I was the economic development professional who served a community team of elected officials, business people, community leaders and dedicated stakeholders for economic development in Cheatham County, Tennessee (pop. 39,880) and its four towns. During my five-year tenure, I served the team as Cheatham County grew over 1,700 jobs, turned around population declines at the start of this decade into healthy population growth, increased tourism expenditures 20.3% and local tax revenue from tourism 25.4%, grew sales tax revenue 36%, focused on developing the local workforce and was recognized by SmartAsset as having the 9th highest Incoming Investment Index of all the 95 counties in Tennessee.
I am a member of International Economic Development Council, Southern Economic Development Council, Tennessee Economic Development Council and International Council of Shopping Centers.
I have earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) from International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) certification from National Development Council and hold a Master of Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University.
