BURGESS v. DECATUR FEDERAL SAVINGS LOAN ASSOC

SOGNIER, Judge.

Barbara D. Burgess brought this wrongful discharge action against her former employer, Decatur Federal Savings and Loan Association (DFS). The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of DFS and Burgess appeals.

Appellant contends the trial court erred by granting summary judgment in favor of appellee because questions of fact remain as to her claim of breach of her employment contract with appellee. Appellant had worked for appellee for nine years as a secretary/accountant when she was fired for insubordination. Appellant argues that appellee's stated reason for her termination, that appellant had taken an unauthorized absence from her job, was false, and that appellee's Employee Benefits and Policies manual ("manual") constituted a binding contract between the parties such that appellant became subject to termination only as outlined in the manual.

"We do not view this manual setting forth certain policies and information concerning employment with appellant necessarily as a contract [cit.], and even if considered as a contract, it was clearly terminable at will because it failed to specify a period of employment. [Cit.] . . . Therefore, in the absence of a definite period of employment, the manual did not bestow upon appellee the status of permanent lifetime employee of appellant. [Cit.] Employment was thus terminable at the will of either party. [Cit.]" Ga. Ports Auth. v. Rogers, 173 Ga. App. 538, 539 (1) ( 327 S.E.2d 511) (1985). The trial court did not err in granting summary judgment against appellant. Id.; Miles v. Bibb Co., 177 Ga. App. 364 (1) ( 339 S.E.2d 316) (1985); Anderberg v. Ga. Elec. c. Corp., 175 Ga. App. 14, 15 (1) ( 332 S.E.2d 326) (1985).

Judgment affirmed. Banke, C. J., and Birdsong, P. J., concur.