All The Latest From ABTA Including, Self-Employed Workers, Treasury Review Of Travel Insurance Sales, The ABTA Travel Convention, Legislation Outlawing Age Discrimination, Travel Agents' Office Insurance Scheme And New ABTA Member

SELF-EMPLOYED WORKERS ABTA is looking at changing its regulations for Members to allow homeworkers to be self-employed, although Members who use self-employed workers would have to be fully responsible for them. The regulation needs to be taken to the ABTA Board for approval and changed at the Association's Annual General Meeting, which will be held in April 2007. If you have any queries, please contact the Members' Information line (membersinfo@abta.co.uk) on 0845 177 ABTA (2282).

TREASURY REVIEW OF TRAVEL INSURANCE SALES ABTA is seeking further information from HM Treasury about their review of whether travel insurance sold with travel arrangements should be subject to regulation. The Treasury has committed to review the position in early 2007 but a precise timetable has yet to be announced. In the meantime Members are reminded that, as part of ABTA's campaign to ensure that travel companies continue to be exempted from regulation, they should update the details relating to their company's sales of travel insurance (including where insurance is not sold) held on ABTA's database at www.abta.co.uk/app/insurance.htm If you have any queries about updating your details, please contact Clare Thomas (cthomas@abta.co.uk) on 020 7307 1959.

THE ABTA TRAVEL CONVENTION Members should note that the deadline for submitting proposals for the learn day sessions at this year's ABTA Travel Convention is Monday 3 July 2006. These sessions, which are available for sponsorship, are designed to involve audience participation and will involve a number of companies discussing specific topics that may affect travel organisations in the future. For further information, please contact Colin Yonge (cyonge@abta.co.uk) on 020 7307 1979. Please visit www.theabtatravelconvention.com for further information about this year's Convention.

LEGISLATION OUTLAWING AGE DISCRIMINATION A reminder that on 1 October 2006 legislation outlawing age discrimination will come into force, covering both employment and vocational training in every organisation in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism. Employers will no longer be able to recruit, train, promote or retire people solely on the basis of age. Members with any queries concerning this issue can contact the ABTA Employment Law helpline - see www.abtamembers.org/abtahelplines/employmentlawhelpline.htm.

TRAVEL AGENTS' OFFICE INSURANCE SCHEME Members are reminded of ABTA's travel agents' office insurance scheme provided by Arnold Fisher Insurance Services Limited and underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc. Exclusively to ABTA Members, the package includes cover for annual business travel for executive directors or partners on the board. For further information, please contact Vito Sepe at Arnold Fisher Insurance Services Limited (abta_members@arnoldfisher.co.uk) on 01923 236 399 or visit www.abtamembers.org/memberservices/officeinsurance.htm

NEW ABTA MEMBER We are pleased to welcome Stour Vale Travel (K5925) in Shaftesbury as a new ABTA Member. For a full list of companies that have recently joined the Association, go to www.abtamembers.org/abtel/new.htm

Further informationFor information about anyof the items in this issueof ABTA Today, visit www.abtamembers.org or contact the Members� Information line membersinfo@abta.co.uk on 0845 177 ABTA (2282). Change your detailsYou can change youremail details at anytime by going to www.abta.net/app/member.htm andfollowing the prompts.Alternatively, contactDaryl Nurthendnurthen@abta.co.ukon 020 7307 1996. For further information visit www.theabtatravelconvention.comor call 01920 873030.