Delivering for California Shoppers: New Trainings & Protections

With the recent passing of Proposition 22 in California, we’re introducing a number of new features and offerings for California shoppers. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing more information about what California shoppers can expect when these updates start rolling out later this year.

At Instacart, we’re focused on fostering a community built on a foundation of safety, respect, and integrity for everyone on the platform. To help ensure the safety and care of all shoppers, as well as everyone in the Instacart community, we’re introducing a few new policies and resources.

New safety trainings

For the safety of the entire Instacart community, we’re introducing three new mandatory trainings for all shoppers in California. Shoppers outside of California will also have access to these trainings to complete if they choose.

These trainings include:

• Food safety: Ensure you understand the fundamentals about how to keep perishable items fresh while shopping and delivering for your customers.
• Defensive driving: Learn best practices for staying safe while driving.
• Sexual misconduct prevention and reporting: Developed in partnership with RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, this training will help you learn to recognize and report sexual misconduct.

“Shoppers are a lifeline for so many due to the pandemic. Everyone deserves to feel safe at work, no matter where that work takes place,” said RAINN President Scott Berkowitz. “We’ve partnered with Instacart to ensure shoppers not only know how to recognize sexual misconduct, but have strategies for preventing it and know where to turn should they need help.”

Each course has been specially designed for Instacart shoppers to apply to situations you could face while shopping or delivering and can be accessed directly from the Shopper app. Thank you for your close attention to these trainings and doing your part to keep the community safe.

Anti-discrimination & sexual harassment policies

We always want to ensure everyone on the Instacart platform is supported, welcomed, and kept safe. We have a zero tolerance policy for any form of sexual harassment on the platform. If you ever experience sexual harassment while shopping on the platform, please refrain from providing services and contact the authorities. You can also leave an incident report directly from the Shopper app, and your report will be thoroughly investigated by our Trust & Safety team.

At Instacart, we’re proud to foster a diverse, welcoming community. As such, we do not discriminate upon the basis of race, religion, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or any other status. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing our updated guidelines directly with shoppers so you have the latest information on our updated policies.

Shopper injury protection

It’s important to us that all shoppers are protected while shopping and delivering with Instacart. In the rare occurrence that you may suffer an injury while on a batch, you continue to have access to shopper injury protection — insurance designed to protect shoppers in the event of a covered accident.

As a shopper, you’re automatically enrolled in shopper injury protection — no signup or enrollment required. There are no premiums, deductibles, or co-pays, and you could be covered for up to $1 million of medical expenses. For more information on shopper injury protection, feel free to visit the shopper help center.

The safety and care of the Instacart community remains one of our top priorities. These new policies and offerings will further the protection of the entire community and ensure a safe environment for everyone. Thank you for doing your part to support the Instacart community.