Opinion ID: 792923
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Monitronics Would Have Fired Richardson Absent any Retaliatory Animus

Text: 34 Richardson submitted sufficient evidence to create a fact issue whether retaliatory animus was a motivating factor in Monitronics's decision to fire her. Monitronics was thus required to provide sufficient evidence to establish as a matter of law that it would have fired her despite any retaliatory motive; and Monitronics met this burden. Most significantly, the attendance policy undeniably specifies that four occurrences result in termination. Richardson acquired more than enough occurrences to justify her termination under the policy. Moreover, Monitronics demonstrated that it has always maintained a company policy that attendance is a key consideration in determining whether an employee is entitled to continued employment; and Richardson has a long history of attendance problems. The foregoing evidence overcomes Richardson's evidence of retaliatory motive which consists entirely of ambiguous or conclusional statements. We are convinced that the only reasonable conclusion a jury could make is that Monitronics would have fired Richardson with or without retaliatory animus. Monitronics thus carried its burden of proving that it would have fired Richardson irrespective of any retaliatory motive.