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B.C. Premier John Horgan said government would speak with employers who are not providing sick pay, after several people with COVID-19 were found working at a poultry processing plant in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

“We can’t have people putting others at risk for fear of economic consequences for themselves,” said Horgan, referring to the 27 workers who were tested positive on the job on Monday. The testing was done after a co-worker at United Poultry was found to have COVID-19 and told health workers that several people at the plant were also showing signs of respiratory illness.

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There has been a COVID-19 state of emergency in B.C. since March 26 and the government has made many calls for people not to work while sick.

Horgan said a basic mandate of WorkSafe B.C. right now was that no one should be sick at work.

“We’re going to have to have a dialogue across sectors to those areas who don’t provide sick pay for their employees,” he said.