Why you're asked for a flu shot or health document you already sent us

Last updated: September 1, 2026

Applies to: Workers on clinical healthcare assignments in the US, who upload occupational-health records such as immunisations, a TB test, or a physical. Non-clinical assignments and assignments outside the US do not carry these requirements, so most workers never see these document requests at all.

Summary: Some health documents satisfy a requirement permanently, and some have to be renewed. The renewable ones — most visibly the influenza vaccination — are tracked per season or per year, so when a new season starts, the requirement reopens and reminder emails resume. That is the system working as intended, not a sign that your earlier document was lost.

Why the request came back

Healthcare facilities require proof that clinical staff meet current occupational-health standards. Some of those standards are one-time; others reset. The influenza vaccination is the clearest example: a record covering one flu season satisfies that season only. When the next season's requirement opens on the platform, it appears as a new outstanding document, and the automated reminders that go with any outstanding onboarding item start again.

So if you uploaded a flu shot record last year and are now being asked again, both things are true: your earlier document was accepted, and a new one is needed for the new season.

Which documents renew and which do not

The exact list depends on your role, your state, and the facility, but as a general guide:

Renews every season — influenza vaccination.
Renews annually — health screening or physical, and TB testing.
Renews on a multi-year cycle — a TB chest x-ray, and Tdap boosters.
Renews when the certificate expires — CPR/BLS certification, and your professional licence. The expiration date printed on the certificate is what counts.
Does not expire once documented — MMR, hepatitis B, and varicella, once the required doses or positive titres are on file.

Because the renewing items are the ones that generate repeat requests, they are worth diarising. If you know your flu shot or TB test is coming due, uploading it as soon as you have it is the simplest way to stop the reminders before they start.

What to do

Check what the platform is actually asking for. Log in at app.ascen.com and open your onboarding checklist. The outstanding item names the requirement and, where relevant, the period it covers — so you can tell a genuinely new request from a duplicate of one you have met.
Upload the current document against that item. A record for the previous season will not clear a current-season requirement, even though it was perfectly valid at the time.
If you do not have it yet, that is usually fine. A renewable requirement generally has a window rather than an immediate deadline, and vaccines are not always available year-round. Email support@ascen.com to confirm your date and we can tell you what applies to your assignment.
If you believe the document you already uploaded should satisfy the current requirement — for example you were vaccinated recently and the record is on file — email support@ascen.com. We can check what is recorded against your profile and clear it if it qualifies.

A note on the reminder emails

The reminders are generated automatically for any outstanding onboarding item and cannot be switched off individually. They stop when the item is satisfied. They are not an escalation and do not mean anyone has flagged a problem with your file — see How do I know when my onboarding is complete and I can start work? if you want to confirm your overall status.

Who to contact

Ascen (support@ascen.com) — what is outstanding, whether a document you sent counts, deadlines, and anything recorded incorrectly on your profile.
Your staffing partner — scheduling and start dates, including whether a start date can move while you obtain a document.

This article explains how document requirements are tracked at Ascen and is not medical advice. Which screenings apply to you is set by your role, your state, and the facility where you work.