Recompense workers with time after they have lunch? (9)
I believe the answer is:
atonement
'they have lunch?' is the definition.
The definition suggests an adverb but the answer is not.
'recompense workers with time' is the wordplay.
'recompense' becomes 'atone' (I've seen this in another clue).
'workers' becomes 'men' (men can mean staff or employees).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'time' becomes 't' (abbreviation).
'atone'+'men'+'t'='ATONEMENT'
'after' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for atonement that I've seen before include "Reparation (for a wrong)" , "Making good" , "satisfaction" , "'Penance, redemption (9)'" , "reparations?" .)