Richard DeBlasio, a 46-year-old who drives full-time for Uber in Saint Cloud, Florida, is among the millions of U.S. gig workers seeking unemployment assistance amid the coronavirus pandemic. He has yet to receive a cent, encountering an outdated and overwhelmed state unemployment system riddled with technical issues and contradictory directives. His wife, Jessica, 42, is a paralegal seeking answers on her husband’s behalf, often calling unemployment repeatedly from an adjacent room.
The DeBlasios, who have a 15-year-old son and 25-year-old daughter, spoke with the “CBS Evening News” about their financial challenges and exasperation with the state. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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