We reject the complainant's argument that it is the respondent's responsibility to provide evidence that the articulated reason actually motivated the decision or was sufficient to motivate the decision. It is clear from the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Burdine case that the burden of articulation is different from the burden of proving something. The respondent does not have to present any evidence as to the validity of its reasons. 246 Ill. App. The remainder of the complainant's exceptions can be dealt with together.
Spears has no direct evidence of retaliatory motivation.
Accordingly, it appears that she is attempting to prove discrimination by showing that the proffered reasons are unworthy of credence. ISS Internat'l Service Sys. 272 Ill. App. Because we are reviewing this case under the manifest weight of the evidence standard, we must look through the record to determine whether there is reasonable, substantial evidence from which the Administrative Law Judge could conclude that the complainant had not met her burden of proof. The complainant's major problem is that there is a great deal of evidence in the record from which Judge Robinson could conclude that the staff morale problem alluded to by the Authority was real.