ASTA news LEGISLATURE
ASTA and Congress help agencies control payroll costs and beter serve clients
Rep. Francis Rooney’s Bill would help agencies control payroll costs and better serve clients
Te Travel Agent Retail Fairness Act
introduced on May 18 by Representative Francis Rooney (R-FL 19th), would remove travel agencies from an arbitrary regulatory ‘blacklist’ blocking them from using an exemption from federal overtime rules designed for retail businesses. “Not only do their employees
necessarily work irregular hours helping clients facing travel disruptions, but travel agencies are the very picture of retail businesses, and we think it’s indefensible that agencies are denied use of this exemption from overtime rules,” said Zane Kerby, ASTA’s president and CEO. “We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Rooney for taking up this fight on behalf of the 48 ASTA members in Florida’s 19th Congressional District, and the broader industry, and will do everything in our power to see this bill through to enactment.” “Eliminating harmful regulations on
our small business community is a key component of economic growth and job
Not only do their employees necessarily work irregular hours helping clients facing travel disruptions, but travel agencies are the very picture of retail businesses
creation,” said Congressman Rooney, a member of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which oversees labor issues. “Te idea that travel agencies ‘lack
a retail concept’ and therefore must be subject to federal overtime rules is arbitrary and overreaching. Te exemption travel agencies are seeking is in line with similar industries and should be granted immediately.”
Te Travel Agent Retail Fairness Act
directs the Secretary of Labor to revise its regulations to remove travel agencies from the partial list of establishments having no retail concept within 90 days. In the interim, the bill states that ‘a travel agency shall not be considered an establishment having no retail concept’ for the purposes of Retail Service Exemption. Te bill was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. “We would like to commend
Congressman Rooney for his leadership on this issue, which will provide a measure of regulatory relief to local small businesses while supporting an integral part of the broader travel industry so critical to Florida’s economy,” said Eben Peck, ASTA’s senior vice president, government and public affairs, who has worked closely with Congressman Rooney’s staff members in the lead-up to the bill’s introduction. “We agree with Mr. Rooney that travel
agencies should have an opportunity to claim the RSE exemption if they qualify for it. Tis is a fight worth fighting.”
ASTAnetwork | Summer 2017 | 17
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