Earnings do not begin for a long time (4)
I believe the answer is:
ages
'long time' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
I don't understand the remainder of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for ages that I've seen before include "Times" , "Grows old like sage" , "Gets older" , "Donkey's years" , "Aeons" .)