Employee & Licensee Separation Policy
Autonomy v2 employees and Autonomy licensees operate under two separate professional relationships. An individual may transition from one relationship to the other, but may not simultaneously maintain active status as both an Autonomy employee and an Autonomy licensee.
Two Different Professional Roles
Employment by Autonomy and operation under an Autonomy professional license are not the same relationship. Each carries different responsibilities, authority, compensation structures, tax treatment, and legal classifications.
Autonomy Personnel
An Autonomy employee works for Autonomy as part of the company's personnel and payroll structure. Employees may act on behalf of Autonomy within the authority of their position and are subject to the employment, payroll, tax withholding, supervision, and reporting requirements applicable to their employment.
Independent License Holder
An Autonomy licensee independently exercises rights granted under an Autonomy professional license. A licensee is not Autonomy personnel, is not placed on Autonomy employee payroll by virtue of the license, and may not represent themselves as an Autonomy employee or as having authority to act on behalf of Autonomy.
An Autonomy professional license authorizes the holder to operate under the terms of that license. It does not create an employment relationship with Autonomy.
Employee and Licensee Status Cannot Overlap
An individual may move from one professional relationship to the other, but active employee and licensee status cannot exist at the same time.
If an active Autonomy licensee becomes an Autonomy employee, the individual's professional license must be suspended for the duration of employment or terminated if the individual elects to relinquish the license.
Likewise, an Autonomy employee who wishes to operate independently as an Autonomy licensee must first end their employment relationship with Autonomy before the professional license may become active.
This separation protects the distinction between individuals acting on behalf of Autonomy and individuals independently exercising rights granted through an Autonomy license.
When a Licensee Becomes an Employee
Accepting employment with Autonomy does not invalidate the individual's previous decision to purchase an Autonomy professional license. However, Autonomy's separation policy prevents the individual from continuing to exercise that license while employed.
For that reason, a qualifying licensee who becomes an Autonomy employee is eligible for reimbursement of the full license fee paid.
Full License Reimbursement
Autonomy does not prorate the reimbursement according to the number of months or days remaining on the license. If the license qualifies under this policy, 100% of the license fee actually paid is reimbursed.
Why the Reimbursement Period Is 12 Months
Autonomy professional licenses covered by this policy have a maximum licensing term of 12 months.
Accordingly, full reimbursement applies when the applicable license was purchased within the 12 months preceding the individual's effective employment date.
The 12-month period is not an additional refund window. It exists because 12 months represents the maximum term of the license itself. A license purchased more than 12 months before employment would ordinarily fall outside the licensing term covered by this policy.
Autonomy therefore reimburses the full qualifying license fee rather than attempting to calculate the unused months, days, or percentage of the licensing term remaining when employment begins.
When an Employee Becomes a Licensee
An Autonomy employee may choose to leave employment and subsequently become an Autonomy licensee.
Once the employment relationship has ended, the individual may obtain or activate an Autonomy professional license subject to the licensing, training, eligibility, authorization, and other requirements applicable at that time.
Once operating as a licensee, the individual is no longer acting as Autonomy personnel. Previous employment does not provide continuing employee authority or the right to represent or act on behalf of Autonomy.
Suspended Licenses
A license suspended because of Autonomy employment may not be exercised while the individual remains an employee.
The license may remain suspended until it expires, is voluntarily terminated, or the individual's employment with Autonomy ends, subject to the licensing and activation requirements applicable at that time.
Reimbursement does not extend the original license term, create an additional licensing period, or guarantee future reactivation or relicensing.
Autonomy employees work for and may represent Autonomy within the authority of their employment. Autonomy licensees operate independently under rights granted through an Autonomy professional license. An individual may transition between these roles, but may not actively operate as both at the same time.