"Have bits in this byte be set when one of your tasks is active and bits be cleared when a task is to be skipped"

Yeah that was an interesting way to use flags for program branching. The following may also help :

1. Remember to initialize the new flag byte to 0xFF after a reset.

2. Remember to check that every SET is matched with a CLR of each flag bit.

Obvious things, but a check list all the same !

Raghu