Was MTV trying to get away with snowing contractors into signing away benefits by just sort of, you know, not mentioning it and hoping for the best? "We were distributed the paperwork and told that we were to fill it out because MTV was changing payroll companies. There was no mention of the insurance change AT ALL," says one freelancer, who was not pleased to learn of the change in her work conditions from the Internets. Full memo after the jump.

The memo distributed with the forms mentions the company "will be transitioning payroll" for its permalancers. "We are including several items in this packet that you will need to complete and hand in to your manager in order to be paid," is about as detailed as the memo gets regarding the 3,982 other changes to the Viacom freelance life.

The actual legalese includes this particularly priceless line: "Moreover, you hereby waveforfeit, relinquish and abandon all rights of attribution and/or integrity that you may have otherwise had with respect to Works." Of course, one thing won't be changing: freelancers still aren't invited to tomorrow's MTV holiday party.

Memo explaining New Start Paperwork to freelance, in-house temp, and project-based employees

To all freelance, in-house temp, and project-based employees:

On December 22, 2007 we will be transitioning payroll for our freelance, in-house temp, and project-based employees to an outside payroll processing company, Cast & Crew. We will no longer be processing payroll in-house. For all work performed on or after December 22, 2007, payroll will be processed through Cast & Crew. If you will be working in late 2007 and/or in 2008, you will need to fill out this new start paperwork to receive paychecks (even if you submitted a "Blue Book" in the past). We will no longer be using the Blue Book.

We are including several items in this packet that you will need to complete and hand in to your manager in order to be paid by Cast & Crew in 2008.

If you will be working for more than one company, you will need to complete and submit new start paperwork for each one. For example: if you will be working for Vh1's production company (namely, New Pop Culture Productions Inc.) as well as MTV's production company (namely, New Remote Productions Inc.), you must fill in start paperwork for both companies. The name of the company (e.g., New Games Productions Inc.) is listed at the top of the forms.

This start packet includes several items:

□ Employee Information Sheet
□ Voluntary Self-Identification Form
□ I-9 Form. Please note the requirement to show documents that verify your identity and eligibility to work (employees must bring in the appropriate documents)
□ W-4 Form
□ IT-2104 (NY employees only) or
□ California Withholding Allowance Form (CA employees only)
□ Direct Deposit Authorization Form
□ Benefits 2008 sheet

There will also be new timesheets, which we will begin to use for work performed as of December 22. These will be distributed under separate cover in December.

We are asking this population to return the completed forms to their hiring managers by Friday, December 7. Then, hiring managers will forward all the packets to Cast & Crew. Feel free to submit paperwork sooner, as well.

Please address any questions to the freelance management email: [redacted]@mtvstaff.com or to the hotline: (212) 846-[redacted].

Thank you all for helping to make this important transition.