Occasionally indulged unemployed (4)
I believe the answer is:
idle
'unemployed' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'occasionally indulged' is the wordplay.
'occasionally' means one should take alternating letters (letters taken at regular intervals or occasions).
The alternating letters of 'indulged' are 'IDLE'.
(Other definitions for idle that I've seen before include "'Lazy, not doing anything (4)'" , "Not in active use" , "Without work" , "staying in bed all day?" , "Futile" .)