Like countless couples across the country, LaChelle and James Rich have spent a lot of time at home since March.

“It’s rough,” James says.

“Being at home for as much as we have been, it really puts a damper on us,” LaChelle said.

For the first time in five months, the Riches packed up their car Thursday morning and headed toward Rivers Casino. It’s a drive they’ve made many times before. One year after the Schenectady casino opened, Lachelle and James started their jobs on the table games floor. Each has worked at casinos across the country for the past 25 years.

“I’ve never known a job that I’ve enjoyed as much as I do this,” LaChelle said from behind the wheel of her car.

“I’ve always been a math geek, and it was a dream job,” James said. “When I was five, I learned to play blackjack from my grandmother.”

Thursday’s commute was their first since the casino shut down due to the coronavirus, but they weren’t heading back to work; instead, they were on their way to protest.

“I have seen picket lines come up because they didn’t want to work, never because they want to work,” LaChelle said as they pulled into the casino parking lot.

Soaked by a pouring rain, the Riches and a few dozen of their coworkers rallied outside the casino's entrance.

“It’s awesome hearing all of the support from the drivers honking their horns,” LaChelle said. “They know our job is just as essential as everybody else’s. We are essential to the community; we are essential to our families.”

Similar rallies were held in front of all five of New York’s non-Native American casinos Thursday. In a written statement, Rivers management said the rally was organized solely by the employees, but noted they have added new safety protocols for when the state eventually clears them to reopen.

“We are prepared to reopen as soon as the state grants us permission,” the statement read. “Rivers Casino has developed a comprehensive reopening plan that addresses crowd management, cleanliness and disinfection, air quality and circulation, monitoring, isolation, and social distancing to provide the safest environment possible for guests and team members.”

“I’m 100% confident and faithful that our department and our casino can do this,” LaChelle said. “We have already gone through all of the safety protocols.”

State officials maintain it is still not safe enough for casinos to reopen.

“In New York, we will continue to track the data, the science and activity at casinos around the country, and will make a decision on re-opening them here when health experts determine it is safe to do so,” said Freeman Klopott, a spokesperson for the New York State Division of the Budget.

Fearful the losses of their jobs will become permanent, Rich says she and her coworkers will continue their fight for as long as it takes.

“It’s amazing; it’s the feeling of family,” LaChelle said. ”We stick together like one big family, and we are ready to do this.”