Instacart Will Hire 300,000 Workers To Meet Demand; Workers Will Also Get 14-Days Paid Sick Time For Coronavirus Related Illness

Instacart is looking to hire 300,000 additional workers across North America as the demand surges for grocery deliveries as people continue to be confined to their homes due to the spread of the Coronavirus.

The company’s CEO Apoorva Mehta announced the hiring event Monday in a blog post, saying “The last few weeks have been the busiest in Instacart’s history, and we’ve been proud to serve as an essential service for you and the millions of customers relying on you to deliver their groceries and household goods.”

While mandatory shutdowns and quarantine orders have resulted in the majority of businesses shutting their doors or slowing down operations, online delivery companies have seen a sharp increase in orders.

Although this is good news for those who make a living through delivery services such as Instacart, their health also remains a concern, as they are at higher risk of being exposed to the virus. Since many are considered independent contractors, they lack benefits such as health insurance and paid sick leave.

However, Instacart is considering these factors, and as a result has implemented contactless deliveries, sick pay for part-time workers which means up to 14 days of pay for anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 or placed in mandatory quarantine and providing shoppers with health and safety guidelines and supplies, the company revealed in a statement sent to Business Insider.

“As more people look for immediate, flexible earnings opportunities during this time, we hope that Instacart can be an additional source of income for those looking to earn while also delivering for the communities in which they live,” the statement also read.

Instacart is just one of a few companies that are ramping up its services during this crucial time while protecting its workers. Both Amazon and Walmart are also hiring more people to meet demand while adjusting their benefits policies for workers.