Employment, n.
1. The act of employing or using; also, the state of being employed.
2. That which engages or occupies; that which consumes time or attention; office or post of business; service; as, agricultural employments; mechanical employments; public employments; in the employment of government. Cares are employments, and without employ The soul is on a rack. Young.
Syn. -- Work; business; occupation; vocation; calling; office; service; commission; trade; profession.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for employment; he lists it under business, exercise, work.
Where he writes about it:
Business, occupation, etc., may be what one does independently; employment may be in the service of another. — from business