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Out Of Work Because Of Coronavirus: A Gig Worker

Jake Vincent with his dog, Wilson.

"There's so much uncertainly I'm pretty much lost in terms of what I'm supposed to do"

Name: Jake Vincent, 28, single, 2013 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill
Location: Raleigh, living with his dog, Wilson
Job Status: Unemployed gig worker. The graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill was a customer support at Rezdy, a travel and tourism booking tool. Vincent started at the technology company in January of 2019, and had a salary of $50,000.
Savings: $4,000 (Not including stimulus from the federal government, or unemployment benefits)
Health coverage: Currently uninsured
Dealing with state unemployment: Vincent went through the unemployment application in mid-March and is still waiting to receive a check. He is expecting to receive $350 per week through July.

Most worried about:

"The time it will take for my industry (technology) to get going; and, how long it's going to take me to be employed again. I'm thinking about landscaping or a grocery store job for the short-term. If things do back to normal in a month, than that won't really be necessary. But if it's going to be three or four, I need to find something temporary.

"I don't know how long this is going to last, and I'm just trying to survive. I don't like sitting around without employment, but then again, if I do find a job and it's only part-time, I could be making less than unemployment would give me. So it's just a weird situation, and I'm sure there are a lot of other people are in the kind of situation as well; trying to figure out what they should do.

"Not knowing what the future holds and how long it's going to be like this is the biggest challenge for me."

Jeff Tiberii is the co-host of WUNC's "Due South." Jeff joined WUNC in 2011. During his 20 years in public radio, he was Morning Edition Host at WFDD and WUNC’s Greensboro Bureau Chief and later, the Capitol Bureau Chief. Jeff has covered state and federal politics, produced the radio documentary “Right Turn,” launched a podcast, and was named North Carolina Radio Reporter of the Year four times.
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