Mindy Lawson is a rehabilitation teacher at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, the state’s forensic psychiatric hospital. While teachers in other facilities across the state telework, she continues to report to the hospital daily. Initially, her job was not deemed essential; however, during a state of emergency, management can make non-essential employees essential and alter their work duties, which changed her job status.
She has remained dedicated to the efforts at Perkins Hospital despite the increased risks of exposure, with patients and staff members testing positive for the virus, in addition to handling potentially contaminated laundry as one of her new duties.
Mindy is proud to be a team player. She believes everyone can do a little extra during extraordinary circumstances to help the patients at Perkins Hospital and the state make it through this difficult time. Mindy Lawson is one of our Unsung Heroes on the Frontlines. We recognize and respect Malinda Lawson’s selfless sacrifice in reporting to a contaminated facility, to perform hazardous duties outside of her classification, when most would insist on the same right to telework as other teachers in state facilities.
Unacceptably, she was not paid the COVID-19 Response Pay after weeks of working alongside others on the frontline. MPEC is working to right this wrong and ensure she receives the proper acknowledgment due to her with the COVID-19 Response Pay.
2020-05-07