Completing identity verification (and what to do if it fails)

Applies to: All new workers — US W-2 employees, US independent contractors, Canadian (T4) employees, and workers outside the US. Independent contractors also complete a separate Business Verification step — see I'm being prompted for Business Verification (KYB) and can't submit my timesheet.

Summary: During onboarding you confirm your identity with a photo of a government-issued ID and, in most cases, a selfie. If a check does not pass you can try again, and we email you at each step. Repeated failures go to our team for manual review rather than simply locking you out.

What you will be asked for

• A photo of a valid, unexpired government-issued ID — for example a driver's license, state ID, or passport.

• In most cases, a selfie, which is matched against the photo on your ID.

The name on your ID needs to match the name on your profile. This is also why your name, email, and phone number are view-only in your account afterwards — they are tied to your verified identity. See How to update your personal information (address, name, phone, email).

Tips that prevent most failures

Most failed verifications are photo quality problems rather than anything wrong with you or your documents. Before you start:

• Check your ID is not expired. An expired document is the single most common reason a verification fails.

• Lay the ID flat on a dark, plain surface and get all four corners inside the frame.

• Avoid glare. Turn the flash off and angle away from overhead lights — glare across the photo or the text is a frequent cause of rejection.

• Use the physical document. Photocopies, screenshots, and photos of a photo will not pass.

• For the selfie, use even lighting, face the camera directly, and remove hats, sunglasses, and anything else covering your face.

• Hold steady so the text is sharp and readable.

If a check does not pass

You can retry. If your attempts keep failing, that attempt is closed and we email you specific guidance on what went wrong so you can fix it — read that email before trying again, because it usually names the exact problem. You can then start a fresh attempt.

If it still does not pass after that, it is routed to our team for manual review. At that point you do not need to do anything except watch for our email. Your account is not automatically banned or closed because a verification did not pass.

If your document was declined with a specific reason, that reason is included in the email we send you.

If your ID passes but your name does not match

Sometimes a document verifies successfully but the name on it does not match the name on your profile. Retrying will not fix this one — it has to be resolved by our team.

Common causes are a recent name change after marriage or divorce, a middle name or suffix included in one place but not the other, or a hyphenated or two-part surname entered differently. Email support@ascen.com, tell us which name is correct, and we will get the record corrected.

Until verification is complete

Identity verification gates the rest of onboarding, which means timesheet entry and pay can be blocked until it is clear. If you are stuck partway through, finish this step first — it often unblocks everything else. See Why your pay might be on hold (and how to fix it) and Why can't I submit my timesheet yet?

Who to contact

• Ascen (support@ascen.com) — verification failures, name mismatches, needing a fresh attempt, or anything still blocked after you have passed.

• Your staffing partner — scheduling and your assignment start date.

Related articles

• Troubleshooting Common Onboarding Issues in Ascen

• Getting started: your onboarding checklist

• How Ascen protects your data (security overview)