My question involves independent contractors in the state of: California
I was hired by an attorney to do a project for an unspecified trial period and was told I would be paid a certain amount per hour. After 3 days and 15 hours of work I determined the position was not a good fit. When I notified the attorney of this, I was informed I would not be compensated because the attorney could not bill her client for "work for an unfinished job." She then told me if I want to be paid I have to finish the job (which I declined to do). After, she stated that since I quit during the trial period the work I did is "incomplete" and she will not accept it and now has to hire someone else to do the project from the beginning. I do not see why someone should re-do what I already did when the work that was performed was done accurately.
Based upon the nature of our relationship it appears as though I am best classified as an independent contractor which does not entitle me to seek action against her with the Labor Commission in CA. She argues "After you sign a contract to get work done for a certain price, the employer is entitled to get the work done at that price. If the contractor walks off the job, I am still entitled to get the work done at the price I offered you. Thus, if I hire a second contractor to finish the job, I only owe the first contractor the balance due on the price quoted after paying the second contractor - even if it is a fraction of what the first contractor claims is due. If the second contractor charges more than the quoted price, I would owe nothing." Is this correct? Is there is a possibility I won't recover a single penny for my time and work because I was an independent contractor who did not complete the trial period?

