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As businesses across the country shut down - either out of caution or requirement - employees are being sent home, sometimes without pay, without knowing when they'll be back.
The growing coronavirus outbreak has led to closures of schools, businesses and other "non-essential" services to help reduce public interaction and curb the spread.
The Cole County Health Department has prohibited public gatherings of more than 10 people, businesses are closing or switching to curbside service, and schools are closed until at least April. Cole County residents are encouraged to stay home when possible.
Gabrielle Humphrey was driving a school bus for the Jefferson City School District before the outbreak canceled school. She was one of 90 drivers employed in the district by First Student, which provides transportation for K-12 schools nationwide.
Until school resumes, Humphrey and other drivers are out of a job and a paycheck. Humphrey said her family of six relies on only her income. She's concerned about making car and credit card payments on time.
Jen Biddinger, corporate communications manager for First Student, said the company is working with the school district on a solution to support drivers during an unprecedented situation.
Kayla Bumgardner, a young mother who was working at Sonic Drive-In, is out of work for 14 days because she, as well as her boyfriend, were tested for the virus Monday. They don't have their results back yet, but they are now under the 14-day quarantine period and therefore out of work for the time being.
"I work fast food, and I work paycheck to paycheck," Bumgardner said. "I will have no income coming in at the moment, and having children - it's hard. Very hard."
As of now, Bumgardner will be able to return to work after the mandatory quarantine April 6, but that's two weeks without income. Her boyfriend, who receives disability, is also losing some of his income.
"I sit here and think, 'How am I going to buy food?'" Bumgardner said. "My daughter won't have Easter this year because I'm out of work."
She said this loss of income could be particularly hard for parents.
"Single parents, parents who live paycheck to paycheck, parents on disability - it's going to be very difficult," Bumgardner said. "I'm unsure of what we're going to do."
With many out of work, Missouri has seen a spike in unemployment claims.
Missourians filed 42,207 initial claims for unemployment insurance last week, ending March 20, almost a quarter of the total 179,831 initial claims filed in all of 2019, according to the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
This is a large increase from the 3,976 who filed the week before.
Missourians can receive a maximum of $320 a week for up to 20 weeks, but the average claim is $264.70, according to the department. All but 10 states offer 26 weeks or longer, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Some businesses, like BarVino on East High Street in Jefferson City, are doing what they can to keep their employees afloat despite changes in business operations.
BarVino is currently offering only curbside pickup and delivery, but owner Matt Green said the business is paying its 12 employees what they would normally make - more than the bar would normally be responsible for, when nightly tips are taken away.
Green said some employees, who work other jobs, don't need the extra income, and it may be used to help other employees who need a little extra.
"Hopefully, the government takes care of us, and we come up with something," Green said. "But we're not waiting for the government to help us. People have to buy food right now."
As BarVino is a relatively new business, Green said he is the only owner making a wage, only because he actually spends time working in the bar. However, that won't stop the bar from paying its employees.
"We have a small stack of money, and once that stack is gone, it's gone," he said. "It's all theirs; I'm not going to pay anybody else until they get paid. But once it's gone, it's gone."
Green said the support of the community, through buying gift cards or products, will keep BarVino able to pay its employees.
"No business can operate without their employees, and I try to make sure my employees are very aware of the fact that they're the most important part of our business," he said.