a crippling 1099 DDT

a 1099 tax form is filed by an independent contractor for wages paid by a company that has contracted their services. this form number has also been used as an informal nomiker for independent contractors.

well the 1099's of the WWE or World Wrestling Entertainment have taken offense! they feel that their jobs are NOT independent, and they are on such strict regulations they deserve all the trimmings afforded other corporate full time permanent drones. rather than doing something exciting like diving off a top rope to smash the executives at WWE, they have instead hired some evil lawyer types to don masks and tango with the WWE in in the legal ring.

the WWE "Professionals" have taken issue with the following guidelines they feel reduce their "independence":

"WWE determines wrestlers' physical training routine, and skill levels of training.
WWE determines location where the wrestlers are to perform (including setting of time).
WWE determines who the wrestlers will compete with and against, the duration of each match and - I hope this does not come as a shocking disappointment to you fans out there - the outcome of each match.
WWE determines the costumes and hairstyles that the wrestlers are to wear, including their props and stage personas and signature moves."
legal translation from WorkforceLogic Blog

seems to me like the ol WWE is going to have a hard time asserting anything is "independent" about their performers when they don't really control any of their daily performing decisions. that said, i certainly don't have a law degree and this seems to have some pretty heavy ramifications for a lot of 1099 creative types out there.

go read a WWE Executive reaction on the Eric Bischoff blog.

go read the source article here.