Tennessee Code Title 4. State Government § 4-4-118

(a) The commissioner of each department of the executive branch of state government is authorized, in the commissioner's discretion, to employ a reading assistant or assistants for any blind employee in the commissioner's department, to serve without compensation from such department.

(b) Each such reading assistant may be paid for services as reading assistant by and from such blind employee or any nonprofit organization.

(c) “Blind employee” as used in this section means an employee of the state who establishes to the satisfaction of the commissioner of the department where such employee works, that such employee has an impairment of sight, either permanent or temporary, that is so severe or disabling that the employment of a reading assistant or assistants for such employee is necessary or desirable to enable such employee properly to perform such employee's work.

(d) This section shall not be held or considered to prevent or limit in any way the assignment to a blind employee by a department of clerical or secretarial assistance at the expense of such department, if such assistance is normally provided or authorized.