Page 13 - Work Force November 2025

Member helps develop
a successful workforce
UNIONDALE —
CSEA Nassau
County Local
11th Vice
President Eydie
Hardamon was
working in a law
office when she
found herself
at a personal
crossroads.
She was
Hardamon
helping people,
but not in the meaningful way
she had pictured. While pursuing
a master’s degree, Hardamon
began interning at Nassau County
Department of Social Services (DSS),
where she found her calling as a job
developer.
In the DSS Job Development
Center, community members seeking
employment meet with workers like
Hardamon, who help job seekers
identify employment opportunities,
arrange training, provide work attire
and schedule updates to ensure
participants are on a path toward
gainful employment, as well as
connect them with other resources.
“People who have lived in Nassau
County their whole lives don’t know
that we’re here,” said Hardamon.
“This is the perfect place for county
residents to gain resources they or
someone they know can use to help
them out of hard times.”
Hardamon holds classes four
times per week, where she speaks
with job seekers one-on-one to
ensure they are actively searching for
work.
“Temporary assistance is just that
— temporary,” said Hardamon. “The
more you look for work, the more
likely you will find employment.”
“It’s really fulfilling
when I see people
are happy because
they can feed their
families and be
self-sufficient. It
makes me want
to go harder and
find additional
resources for them.”
From left, Social Welfare Examiner Kaheem Clarkson and Eydie Hardamon
meet with a job seeker.
After meeting with Hardamon and
other members of Nassau County
DSS Job Development Center,
job seekers often become more
comfortable with the staff and start
believing in themselves and their
ability to achieve a better future.
In cases where clients have a
note from a doctor indicating they
cannot work for
physical or mental
health reasons,
job developers
refer them to a
department that can
offer the services
they need.
According to
Hardamon, Job
Development is a
“no-judgment zone,”
noting that she has
lived enough life to
know how easily
someone can fall on
Fort honored for leadership Fort honored for leadership
hard luck.
“People have this idea that the
people who visit Job Development
are all the same, but that’s not the
case,” said Hardamon. “We have
people come in here who have
master’s degrees, Ph.Ds, some
doctors, and others who don’t have
those things. Either way, you don’t
judge them. You meet them where
they are and try to help them.”
Hardamon recalls success stories
that keep her motivated, including
when people visit to share that
they found a job. Many of them hug
Hardamon as they thank her for
helping them during their job search.
Others mail letters of thanks — one
woman even sent Hardamon a
thank-you letter
every month.
Although she is
grateful for their
appreciation,
Hardamon reminds
her clients that they
should be proud of
themselves because
they are the ones that
chose to listen and
work toward their
goals.
The positive
feedback reminds
Hardamon why
she began her work at Nassau
County DSS.
“It’s really fulfilling when I see
people are happy because they can
feed their families and be
self-sufficient,” said Hardamon. “It
makes me want to go harder and find
additional resources for them.”
— Wendi Bowie
November 2025 13 13
The Work Force
CSEA congratulates Capt. Nate
Fort of the state Division of
Military and Naval Affairs who
serves with the 109th Airlift Wing/
Stratton Air Guard Fire Department,
on receiving the Adjutant General’s
Award from the New York State
Office of the Adjutant General. The
military award is for exceptional
leadership. Fort was honored
for his hard work and dedication
to improving the workplace and
retirement benefits for MCA
firefighters across New York state.