There's a lot of fuzziness in that particular test around how it's interpreted as "A worker who is subject, either as a matter of contractual right or in actual practice, to the type and degree of control a business typically exercises over employees would be considered an employee."

But there's also an exceptions for "Single Engagement Events" that would cover most things like handyman or home contractors. https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/exempt-job-categorie...

But in California, once you engage someone in a recurring manner with hours and work that quacks like a full time job, then you need to look into it (there's a ton of special cases and other exceptions too).

It's the same reason why if I pay my nephew $5 to mow my lawn, I'm not violating minimum wage laws.

The law in the United states is that employers may not tell contractors how to do their job or else they'll be considered employees. I'm not an employer.