A former Instacart employee has filed a lawsuit claiming she was fired after announcing her campaign for a Democratic congressional seat, alleging the company violated labor protections. Her legal team argues the termination reflects a broader trend of corporate alignment with conservative political interests.
- Former Instacart shopper Jane Doe filed a federal lawsuit on October 12, 2025, after being terminated following her congressional campaign announcement
- She completed over 2,300 deliveries in the prior year, earning $48,000
- The lawsuit alleges violation of the National Labor Relations Act regarding protected political activity
- The case ties into a broader trend of 22% rise in labor claims involving political expression since 2022
- Instacart’s internal political conduct policy is cited as being applied inconsistently in Doe’s case
- The suit may influence future federal guidance on gig worker rights and political expression
A former Instacart shopper based in California has filed a federal lawsuit alleging wrongful termination after announcing her campaign for a U.S. House seat in a Democratic-leaning district. The plaintiff, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, claims she was dismissed from her gig work on October 12, 2025, just weeks after publicly sharing her candidacy on social media and soliciting support through company-sponsored delivery networks. Doe’s attorneys argue that Instacart’s decision to terminate her access to the platform violated federal labor protections under the National Labor Relations Act, which safeguards employees’ rights to engage in concerted activity and political expression. They contend that the timing and context of the dismissal—coinciding with her political outreach—suggest retaliation for protected activity. The lawsuit specifically cites Instacart’s internal policy on political conduct, which the plaintiff claims was selectively enforced against her while similar actions by other workers were overlooked. The complaint references a 2024 report by the U.S. Department of Labor indicating a 22% increase in labor-related claims involving political expression since 2022, with gig economy platforms accounting for 15% of such cases. In this instance, Doe alleges she completed over 2,300 deliveries in the prior year, earning approximately $48,000, and that her termination immediately disrupted her campaign fundraising and outreach efforts. The legal action could prompt scrutiny of how tech platforms manage political speech among independent contractors, especially as federal regulators consider updates to gig worker classification rules. The case may also influence corporate policies on political expression, particularly in companies with significant public-facing operations and federal contracting relationships.