Load balancing between agents in a network skillset has become a particular problem. Not only is there a need to ensure efficient use of agent resources in the network skillset but increasingly labor law and union requirements mean that work must be shared between agents in an equitable manner. A source contact node in a network of contact centers requests nodal longest idle agent information from the other contact centers in the network. Using this information a network longest idle agent is identified and the incoming contact routed to that agent. A reservation system is used in combination with the longest idle agent information in order to prevent dropped contacts and to ensure equal sharing of work between agents in a network skillset. Contact center servers are linked over a separate network, isolated from a network linking the contact center switches.