Why can't I submit my timesheet yet?

Applies to: All workers in the US and Canada. If you work outside the US and Canada, your onboarding is coordinated by your in-country HR contact.

If the timesheet entry button is missing or you see a message saying you cannot add time, your onboarding is not fully complete yet. The Ascen platform requires certain steps to be finished before timesheets become available.

The most common reason: Form I-9 Section 2 is not done yet

If you are on a W-2 assignment, Form I-9 must be fully completed — including Section 2 — before you can submit a timesheet.

Here is how the I-9 works:

Section 1 — You complete this yourself during onboarding. You fill in your citizenship status and choose which documents you will present.

Section 2 — Someone other than you (your Authorized Representative) physically examines your original documents and signs this section on behalf of the employer. You cannot complete Section 2 yourself.

Timesheets are locked until Section 2 is signed and your I-9 is complete. This is a legal requirement — not a platform setting that can be bypassed.

Official reference: Form I-9 (USCIS)

Note: If you are on an Independent Contractor (1099) assignment, Form I-9 is not required. If your timesheets are still locked, check the other steps below.

How to see what is still outstanding

1. Log in at app.ascen.com.

2. Look for an Onboarding or Getting Started banner or checklist on your dashboard. Incomplete steps are usually highlighted there.

3. If you do not see a checklist, check your email for any messages from Ascen asking you to complete a step — for example, a reminder about your Authorized Representative or a missing document.

Other onboarding steps that can block timesheets

Depending on how your employer has set up your account, additional steps may need to be complete before timesheets open. These can include:

Identity verification — Confirming your identity using a government-issued ID (done during onboarding). See Completing identity verification (and what to do if it fails).

Required agreements — Signing your employment agreements or handbook.

Background check or drug test — If required by your employer, these may need to be completed or cleared first. (Whether these are required depends on your employer's settings.)

W-4 and tax forms — Federal and state tax withholding forms must be submitted.

Direct deposit setup — Connecting a bank account to receive your paycheck.

Your Certificate of Insurance — Independent contractors only. Your COI has to be uploaded and approved before you can start or enter time. If a coverage line is missing or a limit is too low it is sent back, and the requirement stays open until an acceptable certificate is on file. A COI is reviewed by a person on business days, so a holiday or weekend adds to the wait. See Insurance requirements for independent contractors. W-2 employees are covered by Ascen's own insurance and never provide one.

Complete any steps shown as outstanding in your onboarding checklist to unlock timesheet entry.

One thing that is not on this list: a required training course. An outstanding or expired training keeps a step open on your onboarding checklist and will keep generating reminders, but it does not by itself lock timesheet entry. If you have an open training and cannot enter time, the cause is one of the items above — or the week's deadline has simply passed, which is a different thing entirely. See How to Submit a Timesheet After Missing the Deadline.

What to do if you are stuck on the I-9 Section 2 step

If you already completed Section 1 but your Authorized Representative has not finished Section 2, here are a few things to check:

Did your Authorized Representative receive their email? They should have gotten an invitation with a link to complete Section 2. Ask them to check their spam folder if they do not see it.

Do you need to change your Authorized Representative? If the person you named is unavailable, see How do I change my I-9 Authorized Representative?

Are you listed as your own Authorized Representative by accident? Federal law does not allow this. See I accidentally listed myself as my own Authorized Representative. What happens now.

When to contact support

If your onboarding checklist shows all steps as complete but you still cannot submit a timesheet, contact Ascen at support@ascen.com. Ascen is your employer of record, so onboarding, I-9, and timesheet access are handled by us rather than by your staffing partner.

When you contact support, it helps to mention:
- That your onboarding appears complete but timesheets are still locked
- Your assignment start date
- Any error message you see when you try to enter time

Frequently asked questions

I completed my I-9 Section 1. Why is Section 2 still pending?
Section 2 is completed by your Authorized Representative — not by you. After you finish Section 1, they receive an email invitation. Timesheets stay locked until they sign off. Follow up with them directly if it has been more than a day.

I am an Independent Contractor — why can't I submit a timesheet?
Independent Contractor assignments do not require Form I-9, but other onboarding steps may still need to be complete — identity verification, agreements, payment method, and your Certificate of Insurance. The certificate is the one that most often catches contractors out, because it can be uploaded and still not approved. Check your onboarding checklist for any outstanding items, and see Insurance requirements for independent contractors if yours was sent back.

The timesheet button shows up but I get an error when I try to add time. What does that mean?
If you see a message like "You cannot add time for this date, please contact support," there are two common causes. Your Form I-9 Section 2 may still be incomplete — or it is complete, but the date you are trying to enter falls before the day Section 2 was finished. Either way, contact Ascen at support@ascen.com so we can check your I-9 and enter the hours for you if they are genuinely owed.

My I-9 is finished, so why can’t I enter hours for last week?
The date check is done shift by shift, not once for your whole account. Finishing your I-9 opens time entry going forward; it does not open dates before your Section 2 was completed. That is deliberate — US law does not allow us to record work before your employment eligibility was verified. If you genuinely worked those days, email support@ascen.com with the dates and hours and do not wait for the deadline; we will review them and make sure you are paid.

I finished everything. How long until timesheets unlock?
Once your I-9 is fully complete, access is typically granted without delay. If it does not unlock soon after completion, contact Ascen at support@ascen.com.