How do I know when my onboarding is complete and I can start work?

Last updated: August 25, 2026

Applies to: US W-2 employees, US independent contractors, and Canadian T4 employees completing an onboarding checklist in the Ascen portal. If you are an employee working outside the US and Canada, your onboarding runs differently and is coordinated by your in-country HR partner.

Summary: Your onboarding checklist tells you what is still outstanding. But "onboarding complete" and "here is where and when to show up" are two different things, handled by two different people — and that is the part that trips most people up.

How to check whether you're done

  1. Log in at app.ascen.com.

  2. Open your onboarding checklist.

  3. Look for any step not marked complete. Anything still open is what is holding you up.

If every step shows complete, your onboarding is done on our side.

If a step looks stuck

Two situations account for most "it says I'm approved but it still shows pending" reports:

  • Your view is stale. If you were told a step was approved but the portal still shows it waiting, log out and back in, or refresh the page. Status changes made on our side may not appear in a session you already had open.

  • The step is genuinely waiting on someone else. The most common one is Form I-9 Section 2, which cannot complete until your Authorized Representative finishes their part using the secure link emailed to them. Until they do, you will stay at that step. See Troubleshooting Form I-9 Authorized Representative Issues During Onboarding.

If the checklist looks complete but you are still blocked, or a step has not moved after you have done your part, email support@ascen.com and we will check the status directly.

Complete onboarding before your first day

Finish every step before you begin working. For US W-2 workers this matters most for Form I-9, which federal law requires to be complete before your first day of work for pay. Starting work with onboarding unfinished can delay your pay and, in some cases, your assignment.

Where and when do I actually report?

This is the important distinction: we do not set your start time or your worksite. Ascen handles your employment paperwork, payroll, and compliance. Your staffing Partner owns your placement.

So if your question is any of these, ask your staffing Partner:

  • What time do I start, and what is my schedule?

  • What address do I report to, and who do I ask for?

  • Has my start date moved?

  • What should I bring or wear?

The assignment details you confirmed at the start of onboarding — job title, start date, worksite, and pay rate — are a useful reference; see Accepting your assignment. But your Partner is the one who confirms the day-of logistics.

Who to contact

  • Ascen — support@ascen.com: onboarding steps, document approvals, I-9 and identity verification, and whether your onboarding is complete.

  • Your staffing Partner: start time, worksite location, schedule, and anything about the placement itself.

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