GUANGZHOU, China, March 29 (UPI) -- Chinese labor officials are probing claims McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut paid part-time workers less than the minimum wage, a published report said Thursday.
The Guangdong provincial Labor and Social Security Department is investigating a New Express newspaper report the pay for part-time students at McDonald's was 52 cents, KFC 61 cents and Pizza Hut 65 cents an hour, The China Daily reported.
The provincial minimum wage is 97 cents an hour.
"We will ask the fast-food chains to compensate the part-timers if they are found to have violated labor laws," department Director Zhang Fengqi said.
McDonald's Corp. said it met with local labor officials to "clarify our crew source and employee systems." It said it considered itself "a fully responsible employer."
Yum Brands Inc., which operates KFC and Pizza Hut, said it abided by the law but sought clarification about regulations for part-time workers, especially for students.
McDonald's and Yum's KFC and Pizza Hut have more than 3,000 outlets across China and employ about 200,000 people.
