DA URSULA JONES DICKSON ANNOUNCES $100 MILLION MULTISTATE SETTLEMENT OVER ALLEGATIONS WALMART DECEIVED DELIVERY DRIVERS AND CUSTOMERS
February 26, 2026
Oakland, CA —District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced that the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a bipartisan group of attorneys general from around the nation, has reached a $100 million multistate settlement with Walmart, over allegations that the company deceived customers and drivers who participated in its Spark Driver Program. As part of the settlement, Walmart will pay California drivers over $1 million for lost compensation from Walmart’s alleged actions.
“This collaboration between the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, the FTC, and attorneys general offices across the country led to a significant resolution against a corporate giant like Walmart that will protect and properly compensate Spark Program delivery drivers,” said DA Jones Dickson.
This settlement resolves allegations that Walmart misrepresented pre-delivery tip amounts, base pay, and incentive pay to drivers, as well as claims that Walmart deceived customers into believing that 100% of their tip would go to drivers when, in fact, the company didn’t always pass on the full tips to the drivers and, in some instances, kept them entirely.
As part of the $100 million judgment included in the settlement, Walmart will pay or has already paid up to $79 million directly to drivers. In addition, the company is paying a total of $11 million to the states and an additional $10 million to the FTC, which will be used to provide refunds to customers. Walmart will also have to operate an earning verification program and submit an annual report to the FTC for the next 10 years to ensure that drivers are being paid what they were promised, and the company is prohibited from modifying orders after they have been accepted by drivers or misrepresenting how much a driver will earn from an offer.
“I applaud our Consumer Environmental and Worker Protection Division for their efforts to protect workers’ rights and consumers from unlawful business practices,” said DA Jones Dickson.
For information on consumer protection issues, contact the Alameda County Consumer Environmental Worker Protection Division at askcepd-da@acgov.org
Contact: damedia@acgov.org