I work for a veterinary clinic. Our practice participates in “lunch & learn” events with many of the vendors we receive our products from. These events count as continuing education required to maintain licensing. Our practice manager makes us punch out for these events so that they are unpaid as some of the vendors give out free product to staff. Our manager stated that she shouldn't have to pay us if we are getting “free product”, however our employee handbook states that we receive free product as a benefit of our job, if you don't punch out you don't get product.
We are required to answer phones and handle any walk in clients while taking part in the event, even if we are punched out.
This is a clinic that has a main hospital along with multiple satellite locations, so it's not just our office that has this policy. When I mentioned to the person in charge that the event doesn't qualify to be unpaid, I was told that since we receive product (again from the VENDOR, not the practice that employs me) we do not have to be paid for the event.
Somehow it still feels wrong.