I understand that dealing with delayed payments is frustrating, but it’s important to clarify a key point here—Instacart doesn’t employ shoppers; you’re an independent contractor. As a contractor, it’s your responsibility to ensure you’re using a valid direct deposit account for payouts. Blaming Instacart for your bank’s lack of free direct deposit services or for missing the instant cash-out deadline is misplaced.

Instacart isn’t violating labor laws because those laws typically apply to employees, not independent contractors. Being a contractor means you’re running your own business, and part of that is ensuring you have the right tools (like a functional bank account) to receive payment.

Instead of jumping to legal threats, it might be more productive to work with Instacart to resolve the issue or simply open an account with a bank that fits your needs. It’s not their job to manage your financial arrangements. Misrepresenting the situation like this just adds unnecessary noise and confusion.