At least in the US, companies have a legal fiduciary duty to protect their investors interests above all else.

And I believe a couple of the companies I’ve worked for have been sued, which is why they pay for prep time. But not all the companies in my industry (oil and gas) do.

Many of the companies I’ve worked for had policies that required you to put on your PPE, gather your tools, and be at your station at the time your scheduled to start. This takes approximately 15-20 minutes. And no, we weren’t allowed to leave until relieved by the next person.