Near end of employment, a dark time (5)
I believe the answer is:
night
'a dark time' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'near end of employment' is the wordplay.
'near' becomes 'nigh' (similar in meaning).
'end of' suggests the final letters.
The final letter of 'employment' is 't'.
'nigh'+'t'='NIGHT'
(Other definitions for night that I've seen before include "Ignorance" , "A Hard Day's (the Beatles)" , "Illumination needed now" , "That's when it's darkest" , "8d [DARKNESS]" .)