Limit time off work, initially resulting in crankiness, temper (8)
I believe the answer is:
restrict
'limit' is the definition.
(I know that restrict is a more specific form of the action limit)
'time off work initially resulting in crankiness temper' is the wordplay.
'time off work' becomes 'rest' (rest time).
'initially' says to take the initial letters.
The first letters of 'resulting in crankiness temper' is 'rict'.
'rest'+'rict'='RESTRICT'
(Other definitions for restrict that I've seen before include "'Restrain, limit (8)'" , "Deprive of freedom" , "Place limit on" , "Circumscribe" , "Subject to limitations" .)