Lack of employment gives one endless recreation (8)
I believe the answer is:
idleness
'lack of employment' is the definition.
'one endless recreation' is the wordplay.
'one' becomes 'I' (Roman numeral).
'recreation' is an anagram indicator.
'endless' anagrammed gives 'dleness'.
'i'+'dleness'='IDLENESS'
'gives' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for idleness that I've seen before include "Disinclination to work" , "I'm having nothing to do" , "Send lies (anag.)" , "pansy growers find love in?" , "State of inactivity" .)