Walmart Spark Arbitration: The Full AAA Process Explained (2026 Guide)

Walmart Spark's deactivation appeal works for the majority of drivers — but when it doesn't, the Spark Driver Independent Contractor Agreement points to mandatory arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA), and most drivers either don't realize it's a real option or trip on one of the procedural requirements that voids the filing before it starts. This is the process end-to-end: the dispute resolution clause, the unusual first-class-mail Demand requirement, the AAA filing fee structure (Walmart pays the bulk), the arbitrator selection process, what discovery and the hearing actually look like, the 6-12 month timeline, and the line where self-representation stops being viable and a gig-worker attorney is the right call.