T4 - former canadian employer refusing to send it.

[trailmix 77]

From what I have read, they don't even want to hear from you unless it has been at least a year. Hopefully that's not the case:

From the CRA

If you have not received, or have lost or misplaced your current year's T4 slip, or other information slip, you have to ask your employer, or the issuer of the slip, for a copy.

On the other hand, if you are filing a tax return for a prior year, and you have not received, or have lost or misplaced your information slips for that year, you can call 1-800-959-8281 for a copy of your slips for that year.

Note

If you know that you will not receive your slip by the filing due date, attach a note to your paper return stating the payer's name and address, the type of income involved, and what you are doing to get the slip. Use any stubs or statements you may have to calculate the income you have to report and any related deductions and credits you can claim. Attach the stubs or statements to your paper return. If you are filing electronically, keep all of your documents in case we ask to see them.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/nc...s/menu-eng.html

[Inky 1,111]

Yea I have read that twice now, if that is the case then I have nothing to do but not file any taxes at all for canada and america for 2009. Which is completely bogus.

[Allie 5]

I always thought Employers received a fine for not issuing a T-4

[Bern. 3]

Actually, I believe it's illegal.

[Inky 1,111]

Actually, I believe it's illegal.

For them to not send me a T4 and keep on giving me and my family the run around? - It would be awesome if the CRA would actually talk to me instead of stick me on hold so I can report the stupid place of " business " more like an outhouse if you ask me

[Bern. 3]

Yeah, I think CRA is absolutely terrible. A lot of the government is. Like, I found out once that they had me under the wrong last name for 19 years and they wanted to charge me $200 for them to correct it. Needless to say, I yelled...a lot.

But have you tried calling like, exactly when they open? Or in the ''slow'' hours of the day?

[Inky 1,111]

Yeah, I think CRA is absolutely terrible. A lot of the government is. Like, I found out once that they had me under the wrong last name for 19 years and they wanted to charge me $200 for them to correct it. Needless to say, I yelled...a lot.

But have you tried calling like, exactly when they open? Or in the ''slow'' hours of the day?

I called early morning and the person I spoke to gave me BS about not being in canada and put me on hold and never came back... Im going to try again tomorrow morning. My husband said he would call my work place and start demanding for my T4 as well if the CRA doesnt help me tomorrow.. its getting a - little - stupid.

[Flames9_RN 358]

If ur long distance cal plan allows it, I would just keep calling the employer throughout the day,lol Even track down their home #,lol I bet they get that T4 out quickly then!

[Rustbelt 0]

Be sure you're calling the international tax office in Ottawa if you're calling from the US. Yes, dumb I know, but they're the ones who you need to call first (of course, they'll probably tell you to call the regular folks first, but at least you can then tell the regular CRA folks that the international tax office told you to call).

Having done a fair bit of talking to clueless people at the CRA I suggest the primary purpose of your call should be to find out where to send a letter explaining your situation/complaining about your former employer. When you file your taxes, if you've left Canada it has to go to the international tax place anyway.

As for your taxes - put in the amounts you can to the best of your abilities and send a cover letter with your Canadian and US returns explaining the situation. Tell them that you have done your very best to be accurate but your former employer is not complying with the law and not providing you with a T4.

Here's the link for the international tax office:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/cntct/international-eng.html

The number is: 1-800-267-5177. If that doesn't work, use this one: 1-613-952-3741

Fax no. is: 1-613-941-2505

Good luck!

- Steve's wife

[Inky 1,111]

Okay so...

I called the International Tax Office instead of the normal CRA line today and I got a - to my surprise a VERY NICE helpful woman.

Basically they had the wrong name for my husband on file?

They had NO T4 on file for my former work place!!!

she did say they had some file from an incorperation but it was listed with a total $ amount and not with taxes removed etc so she offered to send me this paper ( aprox 10 business days ). I have NO clue what this paper is or why its saying i made more than I did! ( A LOT MORE )

So now im not sure of my options - I guess I will :

1. wait for this mystery corperation paper to show up.

2. keep harassing my former employment for my T4

3. see if my husband will call the place as well so that we have more people hounding them instead of just myself, my sister and my mom.

- They didnt have an option for me to report the buisness for what its done, I really wish they did.

This whole thing is getting to be way to much, so super stressed.

- Im going to try the cover letter idea with the taxes and im going to also ask my husband if we can wait 10 more days to file taxes and see what this paper is... maybe its an incomplete T4 or something crazy from the place I worked at using a head company instead of the actual retail store?

Anymore ideas would be apreciated...

[Rustbelt 0]

Well, I'm glad you got to speak to someone who was marginally helpful! I doubt the corporation paper has any relevance at all, but you *might* be able to get some information about the corporation itself out of it. If this business wasn't actually owned by your dreadful ex-manager, you might get more information/cooperation from the actual owner of the business.

I would still put a complaint in writing to the CRA, however. I can't believe there's no-one there that wouldn't be interested in someone breaking the law so egregiously.

At this point I think I would be doing two things:

1. Contact your former MP/MPP & see if they can/will help

2. Contact a lawyer & see if they can do a suitably threatening letter for you to your ex-employer. A general "send the T4 or else" letter shouldn't cost too much for a lawyer to do - maybe a couple of hundred, if that.

3. Consider contacting the mall management and/or local press. (Yeah, drastic I know, but you want to put pressure on these people!)

- Steve's wife

Edited March 10, 2010 by Steve Treible

[Inky 1,111]

Thanks again for the ideas Steve's wife. I have just contacted management for the mall, unfortunatly they only have an email not a phone number. But I sent a lengthy email detailing whats going on with them and noting that I will be reporting / complaining to the CRA about it. Also added if they could speak to the manager or owner in some manor to maybe help out the situation that I would appreciate it. Will see what they say, hopefully its good news ~

[Inky 1,111]

So far nothing has come of contacting the managment in the form of a reply, left my email address and phone numbers (home and cell) and no contact from them!

Still waiting on the file that the CRA is mailing me.

[Allie 5]

Just a thought. If you have an ROE from this employer it should show your total earning on it.

[Inky 1,111]

Just a thought. If you have an ROE from this employer it should show your total earning on it.

An ROE from a retail store? Never had anything of the sort before from retail.