Turn down official employment (6)
I believe the answer is:
refuse
'turn down' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'official employment' is the wordplay.
'official' becomes 'ref' (match official in football, say).
'employment' becomes 'use' (how something is used).
'ref'+'use'='REFUSE'
(Other definitions for refuse that I've seen before include "deadwood" , "Decline to accept - waste" , "litter" , "Decline to accept - rubbish" , "Decline waste material" .)