A process instance variable is created as follows:

processInstance.getContextInstance().createVariable("emp_no", emp_no);

I can access the variable no problem when accessing the variable as follows:

HashMap map = (HashMap) taskinstance.getVariables();
String emp_no = (String) map.get("emp_no");

However, in a class which implements ActionHandler, the variable returned is null. Does anyone know what I am not doing right?
Please advise. Thanks.

public void execute(ExecutionContext ctx) {
 String emp_no = (String) ctx.getVariable("emp_no");
 }