The University of New Orleans Training Resource and Assistive-technology Center (UNO TRAC) is among just four sites nationally selected to host a full-day Town Hall Listening Session by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The town hall session will be held on Friday, November 20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the UNO TRAC building on the Lakefront Campus.

The goal of the town hall forums is to obtain direct public input on business/employer communities and the disability and disability advocacy community on EEOC's proposed regulations under the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008. The event will provide an opportunity for federal officials to acquire feedback directly from stakeholders on the proposed regulations.

Officials scheduled to participate in the town hall session include Stuart J. Ishimaru, EEOC acting chairman; Christine Griffin, EEOC acting vice chairman; Constance S. Barker, EEOC commissioner; Samuel Bagenstos, Department of Justice Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights; Mazen Baswari, counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights; and John Wodatch, chief of the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division.

Five-minute time slots to address the panel will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some of the slots will be available via advance registration while some will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served sign-up basis at the event.

There is also limited availability for providing input by telephone. to request this accommodation, register in advance.

Individuals representing themselves or an organization are asked to provide input on the EEOC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which can be viewed, along with a question-and-answer guide, at www.eeoc.gov.

For more information or to register as a speaker, contact Maple Thomas at (504) 595-2827 (TTY 504-595-2958) or Maple.Thomas@eeoc.gov.

Sign language interpreters, CART and assistive listening devices will be available. If printed materials are needed in an alternative format, email Elisa.gonzalez.ctr@tma.osd.mil.

The event is open to the public with space available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Those who cannot attend but would like to submit comments can do so electronically at www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal. The ID number is 3046-AA85.

Written comments may be submitted to: Stephen Llewelyn, Executive Secretariat, EEOC, 131 M Street NE, Suite 4NW08R, Room 6NE03F, Washington, DC 30507. Comments of six or fewer pages may be faxed to (202) 663-4114.

Comments must be submitted by November 23, 2009.