(CNN Business) Instacart hired 300,000 workers in recent weeks to meet surging demand for grocery deliveries spurred by the pandemic. Now, the startup is seeking to hire another 250,000 workers over the next two months.

The on-demand grocery delivery company said Thursday that it is seeking to hire the additional "full-service shoppers," who are treated as independent contractors, in areas with the highest demand with the aim to "get back to same-day delivery." Some customers have struggled in recent weeks to secure delivery slots due to the high demand.

Amazon AMZN Walmart WMT Instacart is among a small group of companies, includingand, that are rapidly expanding when much of the American economy is at risk of contracting. Before the hiring spree, Instacart had about 200,000 full-service shoppers.

In a blog post, Instacart said it will reintroduce a waitlist for applicants in areas where it has enough workers to satisfy demand to ensure it is "thoughtfully balancing" how many workers it brings on.

during the public health crisis. Late last month, some Along with the surge in business, the company has faced criticism from some workers who say the company hasn't done enough to protect and compensate themduring the public health crisis. Late last month, some began protesting the company, calling for a number of changes, including a form of hazard pay or an extra $5 per order, as well as a default tip of 10%.

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