If your employer has NOT sent the W-2 information to the IRS, that is required by law, then the IRS is correct to hold your tax return. Perhaps you should consider working for an employer that follows the tax laws. If this happened to you then probably it has happened to other employees also. Your state department of labor might be of assistance. The IRS can also levy fines against the employer.
[Paraphrased from IRS rules]
Can you file without having received your W-2? Yes, but only if you have not received it by the end of February, and you have contacted your employer and attempted to obtain it, and you still have not received it then you contact the IRS (see the link below), then if the IRS is not successful in getting your W-2, you can use form 4852 in place of your W-2. But you MUST speak to the IRS before doing so. Otherwise, you cannot file before you receive your W-2.
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-can-help-taxpayers-get-form-w-2-0
**Disclaimer: This post is for discussion purposes only and is NOT tax advice. The author takes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information in this post.**
