Instacart settles federal discrimination claims for $5 million

Instacart, through its parent company Maplebear, has agreed to a $5 million settlement to resolve federal allegations that it discriminated against U.S.-born job seekers. The investigation, conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, found that the company favored foreign workers through the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) program.

Federal agencies alleged that Instacart created barriers for American applicants by requiring physical mail-in applications for PERM-related roles, while allowing electronic applications for its standard recruitment process. As part of the settlement, Maplebear will pay $1 million in penalties and up to $4 million to affected individuals who applied for jobs between December 2023 and February 2026.

Additionally, the company has agreed to post job openings available to foreign workers on its public website and to accept electronic applications from U.S. citizens. While Instacart stated that its hiring practices complied with all laws and regulations, it agreed to the settlement to focus on its business operations.