Students or employees: a federal threat to radiologic technology education.

The Fair Labor Standards Act, also known as the "Wage and Hour Law," has been expanded to include health professionals in radiologic technology programs as interpreted by functionaries of the Department of Labor. This interpretation is diametrically opposed to that of hospital administrators and program directors. It remains for federal courts to decide whether technology students are indeed students or hospital employees, deserving of minimum wages by their "employers." Program directors are advised to litigate any claims by field representatives of the Department of Labor who claim that technology students are hospital employees and not legitimate students in a bona fide school. The federal loan program recognized technology students as true students rather than employees, thereby exempting them from qualification for the minimum wage rules. If students in programs of radiologic technology are viewed as employees, the additional cost to most hospitals could destroy the system of training as we now know it.