# 10 minutes until Feb. 1st and I haven't gotten my W-2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-minutes-until-feb-1st-and-i-havent-gotten-my-w-2/152050 "2003-02-01T04:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-minutes-until-feb-1st-and-i-havent-gotten-my-w-2/152050/1 "2003-02-01T04:50:36Z")
So I was laid off (another way of putting it is that I was fired without notification) back in November and I haven’t spoken to anyone at my old job since then. I’ve always heard that it was the company’s job to get your W-2 to you by Jan 31st, including mailing it to you if necessary, and it was against the law for them not to do this. That seems a little far fetched but I figured it can’t hurt to ask. So what’s the deal here? I really don’t feel like going and talking to these jerks, so do I have to or not? Are they breaking the law or am I just going to have to go get it? I’m in NC if it matters. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Spacegirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Spacegirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spacegirl)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-minutes-until-feb-1st-and-i-havent-gotten-my-w-2/152050/2 "2003-02-01T05:01:11Z")
I heard that it needs to be _sent_ by Jan. 31st. Sorry, no cite. I am still waiting for one of mine too. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-minutes-until-feb-1st-and-i-havent-gotten-my-w-2/152050/3 "2003-02-01T05:35:59Z")
Postmarked. Must be postmarked by Jan 31 or face fines by the govt. No, I don’t have a cite online, but I work with the accountants at my job, so you’ll just have to take my word for it, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-minutes-until-feb-1st-and-i-havent-gotten-my-w-2/152050/4 "2003-02-01T06:07:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Carnage \* > \*\*Must be postmarked by Jan 31 or face fines by the govt. \*\* Sweet. So who do I report them to if it’s not postmarked by the 31st? I have a pretty good feeling that it’s sitting in their office with the “if he wants it he can come and get it” attitude. I’ve never been a tattle tale in my whole life. I’ve **never** told on anyone, never. I’m just not the type. These guys are real jerks though and have weaseled several of my friends out of tens of thousands to dollars, they deserve every dime of any fines they might incur and I would love to be the one to stick it to them. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-minutes-until-feb-1st-and-i-havent-gotten-my-w-2/152050/5 "2003-02-01T08:06:05Z")
I’m waiting for two, too. And one of them is from a company that screwed me over, as well. Oh, hey! By my watch, they’re an hour overdue! Woo! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-minutes-until-feb-1st-and-i-havent-gotten-my-w-2/152050/6 "2003-02-01T15:58:23Z")
This happened to me once. I contacted the IRS a few days into Februrary (our W-2s weren’t mailed; they were handed out). Their advice: wait a couple more weeks. IOW, the IRS doesn’t work particularly hard at enforcing the deadline and probably would do nothing unless it was at least two weeks late.