Issue with DME variable scope

I have added a DME query to an ESS screen and am having issues with when I can use the variable.

I define a globalvariable called EmployeeProcessLevel.   During one of the original Lawson functions, I call my function (QueryOEEmployeeProcessLevel) to get the data I need.  This dme function in turn calls the SetOEProcessLevel function which should set the global variable (EmployeeProcessLevel) I defined. 

The issue is that when control passes back to the original non-modified function, it does not recognize the variable (ie. undefined). 

However, the funny thing I found by placing alerts in the code is that after the original non-modified function runs, it seems to call the function that defnies the global variable.  I would have expected this function to be called by the DME.

Any thoughts/suggestions? 
Thanks in advance.
Chad


var EmployeeProcessLevel;

 function QueryOEEmployeeProcessLevel()
{

   var dmeObj      = new DMEObject(authUser.prodline,"employee");
   dmeObj.out      = "JAVASCRIPT";
   dmeObj.index    = "empset1";
   dmeObj.field    = "company;employee;process-level";
   dmeObj.max      = "10";
   dmeObj.debug = false;
   dmeObj.key      = parseInt(authUser.company,10) + "=" + parseInt(authUser.employee,10);
   dmeObj.func = "SetOEProcessLevel()";
   DME(dmeObj,"jsreturn");
 }

 
function SetOEProcessLevel()
{

 if (self.jsreturn.NbrRecs)
   {
       EmployeeProcessLevel = self.jsreturn.record[0].process_level;
   }
   else
   {
        EmployeeProcessLevel = "";
    }

}

.// In Lawson delivered function code I call:

 QueryOEEmployeeProcessLevel();