Which statement best reflects the independent contractor's control characteristics?

• A. The principal controls both the means and the result
• B. The principal controls only the means
• C. The principal controls the result, not the means
• D. The principal controls neither means nor the result

Answer: (C)

Independent contractor status hinges on control over how the work is done versus what is produced. When the principal specifies the desired end result but doesn’t direct the methods, tools, or procedures to achieve it, the contractor controls the means while the principal focuses on the outcome. This separation—the principal setting the result, not the means—fits with an independent contractor who chooses how to accomplish the task to meet the defined objective. If the principal also dictated the means, that would reflect employee-like supervision over both process and outcome. If the principal controlled only the means, that would still indicate tighter overall supervision. Thus, the statement that the principal controls the result, not the means, best describes the independent contractor relationship.