Does employer have to mail w2

In the United States, employers are required to provide their employees with a W-2 form, also known as a Wage and Tax Statement, by January 31st of each year. The W-2 form reports an employee's wages and taxes withheld for the previous calendar year.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), employers are required to furnish a W-2 form to each employee who:

  1. Earned $600 or more in wages, tips, or other compensation from the employer during the calendar year.
  2. Had Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from their wages.

Employers are not required to mail the W-2 form to the IRS, but they must file a copy of the W-2 form with the IRS by January 31st of each year. This is done electronically through the Electronic Filing Tax Return (EFTR) system.

However, employers are required to provide a physical copy of the W-2 form to each employee, either by mail or electronically, by January 31st of each year. This is known as "furnishing" the W-2 form.

If an employer fails to furnish a W-2 form to an employee, they may be subject to penalties and fines. Additionally, employees who do not receive a W-2 form from their employer may need to contact the employer or the IRS to obtain a copy.

It's worth noting that employers may choose to mail the W-2 form to employees, but it's not a requirement. Many employers now provide W-2 forms electronically, either through a secure online portal or by email, as long as the employee has consented to receive electronic W-2 forms.