Lawmaker Drives Uber While Waiting for State Paycheck

Jaime Andrade Jr. was worried about making ends meet.

His income had become sporadic, bills were piling up, and he'd even had to cash in a life insurance policy. So he took the next step, borrowed his mom's minivan and started driving for Uber to earn a little extra money.

It's not really an unusual story — except that Andrade's day job is serving as the state representative for Illinois' 40th District.

As the state budget stalemate drags on, Andrade and other lawmakers must wait to receive delayed paychecks. The most recent paycheck he's received came the first week of July, according to DNAinfo, and that money was for April. No one really knows when the next check will come.

So Andrade drives the van. He picks up strangers and carts them around Chicago and the nearby suburbs. Not Springfield though, he told NBC Chicago, since he'd risk getting a lobbyist as a passenger.

His record week so far driving for Uber earned him $571, reports say, and because he can set his own hours, he's always available when constituents come calling.

Andrade, who is married with two children has a degree in accounting from DePaul University, according to the Illinois General Assembly.