Instacart agreed to a U.S. settlement worth up to $5 million with federal agencies over alleged hiring discrimination, including a fund for eligible applicants and people deterred from applying.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the agreement Oct. 20. The DOJ case listing dates the settlement to Oct. 19. It covers Maplebear Inc., which does business as Instacart. EconoTimes previously reported the settlement.
The agencies alleged that Instacart required people seeking certain jobs under the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) program to send applications by mail. They said the company's regular hiring process accepted online submissions, and some U.S. applicants were not considered in time. The agencies alleged the difference favored temporary visa holders and discriminated based on citizenship status and national origin.
The agreement sets aside up to $4 million for people who applied, or may have been deterred from applying, for covered jobs between December 2023 and February 2026. An administrator will review claims and decide whether people qualify for back pay or compensatory damages. Instacart must also pay the U.S. government $1 million in civil penalties.
Instacart must post PERM jobs on its public careers website, accept online applications and record candidates in its central applicant-tracking system. The DOJ settlement listing says the company also faces three years of training and monitoring requirements.
The DOJ said employers seeking to sponsor temporary visa holders for permanent residence must first make a good-faith effort to recruit U.S. workers through PERM. The agency described the agreement as the 15th settlement since it relaunched its Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative in 2025. Instacart said its hiring practices complied with applicable U.S. laws and regulations.
People who believe they may qualify can contact Instacart@eeoc.gov until the claims administrator establishes its own email address.
