Instacart settles DOJ discrimination claims for $5 million

Maplebear Inc., the parent company of grocery delivery service Instacart, has agreed to a $5 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations of discrimination against American workers. The resolution stems from claims that the company abused the Permanent Labor Certification process by imposing undue burdens on U.S. applicants between December 2023 and February 2026.

The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division alleged that Instacart violated the Immigration and Nationality Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by purposefully discriminating against U.S. and American workers based on country of origin. According to the Justice Department, the company required American applicants to physically mail their applications, a deviation from Instacart's standard electronic application process used for other candidates. The settlement was secured in conjunction with the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission.

Under the terms of the agreement, Maplebear Inc. must establish a $4 million fund to compensate applicants who may have been wronged and pay an additional $1 million in civil penalties. The Permanent Labor Certification program allows employers to sponsor temporary visa workers for permanent residence, but requires companies to make a good-faith effort to hire American workers before resorting to foreign nationals. The Department of Justice stated that companies cannot create additional burdens for U.S. workers, publish job advertisements that discriminate against them, or use processes that limit or segregate applicants in ways that deprive U.S. candidates of employment opportunities.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon described the resolution as the fifteenth settlement agreement reached under his leadership to protect U.S. workers. He stated that the Justice Department is holding companies accountable for preferring workers with temporary employment visas and emphasized a continued commitment to ensuring a fair playing field for American workers. This settlement is part of a broader effort by the administration to address illegal discrimination against American workers since President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025.

Andrea Lucas, chair of the Equal Opportunity Commission, said the agency would act decisively when employers erect unlawful barriers that harm American workers. Lucas noted that the commission is committed to holding companies accountable when they deny equal work opportunities by preferring temporary visa holders, asserting that discrimination based on American national origin has no place in the economy. The Equal Opportunity Commission has dubbed this mission "Project Firewall."

An Instacart spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the company is a U.S.-based grocery technology platform with thousands of American employees serving millions of users, retailers, and brands. The spokesperson stated that prioritizing U.S. hires is central to their operations and that they actively promote roles to ensure qualified domestic candidates are considered first. While maintaining that its practices complied with all applicable laws and regulations, Instacart expressed pleasure at having resolved the matter to focus on its mission.