How to get W2 answer from unresponsive institution?

Question

I work for the City of New York (CUNY), and I've held the same position for about 15 years. This year for the first time, a standard line on my W2 was missing. I inquired to my college HR about why that was. I got several weeks of runaround, no answer to my question, but then received a corrected W2.

Now the corrected W2 includes the expected line -- notably increasing my taxable income to a higher-than-expected amount. Unlike prior years, the overall numbers don't add up properly when I double-check them. I asked HR about this and was told there was a deduction to the line in question which is not reflected in the total compensation (hence the higher total) and not visible on my W2. I inquired how I could verify or find out about this new hidden difference in the future, and was referred to an outside city agency.

Now for the last 3 weeks (up to the tax filing deadline yesterday), I've been calling and emailing this city office on a daily basis and they seem unable to respond to my question. Every day I'm told that they'll get back in another day, or they apologize and promise to call back in 15 minutes, but they never do. They've asked for multiple pieces of supporting documentation which I've sent but to which they never respond or confirm receipt, until I call again. They receive but never reply to emails.

What's the best way to approach an apparently stone-walling institution regarding a W2 question like that? It's frustrating to spend time and mental energy every day making that same phone call.

Answer 1

If they haven't sent you an accurate W2 by Feb 12, you can call the IRS at (800)829-1040 and file a complaint with them, and then the IRS will contact your employer. Most people tend to not like getting called by the IRS.

If you want to know ahead of time whether you're going have this on your W2, and you're getting the run-around, then the response is to escalate it. Inform your boss of what's going on, and find out who the boss is of the people who are giving you the run-around, and complain to them. If nothing else works, consider emailing the regents, mayor, city council, etc. and complaining to them. This isn't guaranteed to get what you want, but at the very least it makes not giving you what you want inconvenient for other people.

Answer 2

What's the best way to approach an apparently stone-walling institution regarding a W2 question like that?

I think at this point your best bet it to pay them a visit in person. Bring all your supporting documentation, and have someone address your concerns face to face.

It is much harder to ignore you when your standing in front of the individual who should be helping you. Of course this answer makes the assumption that paying a visit is realistic.

This approach has worked for me in similar cases, YMMV.

Answer 3

Now for the last 3 weeks (up to the tax filing deadline yesterday)

So, you did file your fed and state taxes... right?
(If you filed the IRS extension request this is the same thing if you are owed a refund)

If not, file them now with your current W-2 information and pay what you owe.
If it turns out your taxes are lower, you can file an amended return once you have proof of that.

AND call the IRS like Acccumulation said.
AND if you can figure out how to implement Mister Positive's answer, do that also.

Answer 4

Returning to this question a few years later to add (as OP) how I'd actually handle this if it happened again today, as an option to others if they read this. And that would be:

Do literally nothing at all.

In this particular case, correcting the missing line on my W2 was only going to add to my income and hence my tax burden, and I would have been better off simply remaining silent on the issue. If the W2 gets revised at a later date, of course, I'd be prepared to submit a revised filing and correct the tax payment as needed. But driving myself nuts chasing after unresponsive bureaucracy to my own detriment was not a good strategy (although for some of us bordering on OCD, hard to avoid).

On the other hand, if there was a mistake that was clearly in my disfavor, and would help me if corrected, then I'd probably pursue that again in the future. If that happened, then I'd try really hard to keep the communication within my own institution (where it's easier to get a name, and, if needed, show up in person), and likely punt once it got shuffled off to an outside bureaucracy. Even there I'd want to do a risk-analysis of what the likely time-expense was on my end, versus the increased tax payment, before spending that time.

(As a follow-up, the error in question has not re-appeared in the 2 years since.)