Your employer moved to Ascen: what changes for you and what does not

Last updated: September 21, 2026

Applies to: workers whose staffing agency, client, or work platform has moved their payroll and employment of record to Ascen, and who are being asked to onboard with a company they did not apply to.

Summary: Your job, your schedule, and the people you work with stay the same. What changes is who employs you on paper and who pays you. That is why you are being asked to complete onboarding again, including a new Form I-9 and new tax forms, even though you have been doing this job for a while.

Why you are hearing from a company you did not apply to

Ascen is an employer of record. Staffing agencies and work platforms engage us to be the legal employer for the people they place, so that payroll, tax, benefits, and compliance sit with us while the work itself continues to be directed by them. When your work moves to us, you become an employee or contractor of Ascen for that assignment. See What is an Employer of Record and Agent of Record?.

What stays the same

  • The work you do, where you do it, and who you report to day to day.

  • Your schedule, and the agency or platform that finds you assignments.

  • Your agreed rate, unless your staffing partner tells you otherwise.

What changes

  • Who pays you. Your pay comes from Ascen, and you set up direct deposit with us.

  • Where you enter time. Timesheets go through app.ascen.com unless your shifts come from a scheduling app, in which case see how your hours reach Ascen.

  • Your year-end tax form. You may receive more than one for the year: one from your previous employer covering the earlier part, and one from Ascen from the point we took over.

  • Where your documents live. Pay stubs and signed agreements from the point of transfer are in your Ascen portal. Records from before that stay with your previous employer, so download anything you need from them while you still have access.

Why you have to do Form I-9 again (US only)

Form I-9 records work authorization with a specific employer. A new legal employer means a new Form I-9, even for someone who has held the same job for years and even for US citizens. It is not a sign that anything was wrong with the last one. See Why am I being asked to complete a new Form I-9?. Tax withholding forms are the same: your previous W-4 does not transfer, so you complete a new one.

What to do now

  1. Log in at app.ascen.com using the invitation email and work through your checklist. See Getting started: your onboarding checklist.

  2. Finish before your first payroll with us, because timesheets and pay are held until onboarding is complete.

  3. Set up direct deposit so your first payment from us does not go astray.

  4. If a step will not let you through, see Troubleshooting common onboarding issues.

If you are not sure the request is genuine

Ask your usual contact at the agency or platform whether they have moved to Ascen. You can also email support@ascen.com and we will confirm who engaged us for your assignment.