How would I look up an employer and see which people were employed by them for a given year? Doesn't that information have to be made public for tax purposes?

Thanks for the help!

No, it does not.

The employer has to make that information available to the government for tax purposes, but not to the general public.

Now, when talking Board of Directors, Senior personnel, the law there varies a bit.

But if we are talking the average low level employee, then no they don't have to release that information to the general public.

A suggestion if you are trying to find someone:
Call up the company's HR Department and say you are doing a reference check for a John Smith (or whoever) and wish to confirm when they worked at the company.

There's a problem there.
I never knew her last name :(

What an idiot, right?

So now what?

Go to the HR Department and talk with the HR person working there.

Explain to him/her your situation and ask if they can contact this woman for you. Or have them give you the information (although I highly doubt they will do that).