<prompt> Human: I could use some help with a tax issue that just arose. Starting in January of 2014 I took a part time job at a very small company doing design work, after being referred by a friend who also worked there. Hired on immediately at 8hour actually below my states min.wage at the time and was paid by personal check at the end of every week, never having been asked for any personal information SSN, address, to fill out a W2. Payment was flat, just for the hours worked, no alotment for taxes or any other deductions. I was desperate for a job at this point, and anything not waiting tables was considered a godsend. The owner said that hed prefer to pay me this way to keep things simple and that he would review his options at a later date when the training was completed.3 months later I was asked to start coming in and working full time 40 hours a week along with a slight bump in pay up to 10hour. At this time the owner reiterated his desire to keep paying me by check. Due to the already low pay I accepted this, knowing I wouldnt be working for him in a long term sense anyways. There were never any kind of deductions from my paycheck, I always received my pay per hour, usually a little less because of them throwing a fit about us clocking in late...when the managers would show up 10 minutes after start and unlock the doors. I continued to work at this company for another 5 months or so Until August 2014 at which point I put in my 2 weeks and left. I thought this would be the end of it until today when I received an email from one of the secretary girls asking for my SSN and address so they could set up and send a W2. Now, I could be wrong, but this sounds like a lot of BS to me. However, I have no idea what to do in this situation, and was hoping someone more knowledgeable than I would be able to offer some assistance. I googled it myself, and am seeing that its not a altogether uncommon problem, and something to do with a SS-8 form, but Im worried and feeling lost.tl;dr: Boss dicked me over on employmentpaycheckspaying me under the table, is now coming at me for W2 information.Edit01 Some context for this post; Before this job I had been unemployed for almost a year and a half and had moved to a new state and city in the process. I had been looking in my new location for 6 months with not so much as an interview up until that point, and was getting to a place where I would have had to accept something like a fast food part time, anything to get a cash inflow. This was my first and so far only chance to do something in line with my degree and professional interest, which is why I accepted the ludicrously low pay and terms for a high skill job. I really appreciate everyone whos helped with their suggestions, Ive started asking a few friends who do the legal side of this stuff for their opinions.  <response>: Hired on immediately at 8hour actually below my states min.wage at the timeThat is one you are going to want to report to your states Department of LaborIt seems you had been clocking in as well, so all of the proof is there and should be an easy case. Back wages will be due to you.As to your boss now wanting to give you a W-2, well, that is better than them trying to claim you as a 1099 independent contractor. They obviously should have been withholding FICA taxes as well as income taxes the entire length of your employment. My question to them is what they plan to do about FICA - are they going to claim the amount they paid you was post-FICA taxes or will they try to have you pay them for your portion of the FICA taxes? I dont see much hope for them claiming that they also withheld federal and state taxes as they should have, but ask that too. Dont give out your information until you are satisfied with all of the answers.If you dont get a W-2 from them, you still have to claim all of your income on your taxes, so you will still owe based on your wages, you just may not have a W-2 to show for certain what you earned. 