fix(work-items): make every lane escalation reach attend-queue

.changes/pr-pipeline/fix-attend-queue-escalation-authors-9b2d4f61.md

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+bump: patch
+---
+
+### Fixed
+
+- report-outcome's hand-backs (pushback, stopped, a refused patch, a dimension skip and a turn cap with no restart left) open with `<!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->`, then the outcome marker, so `/work-items:attend-queue` lists the issue as escalated. The outcome-marker parser that `issue-prior`, work-unblock and the monitor signals share reads the outcome marker after that one line.

.changes/work-items/fix-attend-queue-escalation-authors-5e1a7c3d.md

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+bump: minor
+---
+
+### Fixed
+
+- `reference/escalation-marker.md` now defines the trusted escalation authors in one place: the session's write identity, the target's `merge.agent-identity` from `docs/conventions/pr-pipeline.yaml` on its default branch, and `<lane_app_slug>[bot]` when that option is set. `/work-items:attend-queue` and `reference/item-content-trust.md` point at it, so markers the CI lanes post as the lanes App list as escalated, and a marker from any other author is reported as a suspected spoof.
+- `/work-items:attend-queue` lists open pull requests carrying the human-gated label beside issues, through the github adapter's new "List pull requests" operation, since `list-items` returns issues only. A pull request row takes the answer comment and loses the human-gated label, never the autonomous-eligible role or a `work-class:` label.

.github/scripts/work-resolve-issue/report-outcome.mjs

@@ -170,7 +170,13 @@ const COMPARE_FILES_CAP = 300;
 // clampReset from here.
 export { clampReset };
 const ISO = /^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T\d{2}:\d{2}(:\d{2}(\.\d+)?)?Z$/;
-const MARKER = /^<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=([a-z]+(?:-[a-z]+)*)(?: resets=(\S+))?(?: cap=(\d+))?(?: run=(\d+))?(?: branch=(resumed))? -->/;
+// The attended queue's escalation marker (work-items reference
+// escalation-marker.md): the first line of every comment that hands the issue
+// to a person, so /work-items:attend-queue lists it as escalated. The outcome
+// marker follows on the next line.
+export const ESCALATION_MARKER = "<!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->";
+const escalated = (lines) => [ESCALATION_MARKER, ...lines];
+const MARKER = /^(?:<!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->\r?\n)?<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=([a-z]+(?:-[a-z]+)*)(?: resets=(\S+))?(?: cap=(\d+))?(?: run=(\d+))?(?: branch=(resumed))? -->/;
 
 // `branch=resumed` marks a resumed run that kept no branch of its own, so its
 // work is still on the branch it resumed (see findPrior).
@@ -190,7 +196,7 @@ export const turnCapMarker = ({ cap, runId, onResumed = false }) =>
 export const refsHoldMarker = (pr) => `<!-- work-resolve-issue refs-hold #${pr} -->`;
 
 // {outcome, resets, run, onResumed} from a comment body that opens with the lane's
-// marker, or null. resets is epoch milliseconds, or null when absent or
+// marker, alone or after ESCALATION_MARKER, or null. resets is epoch milliseconds, or null when absent or
 // unreadable; onResumed is true for `branch=resumed`.
 export function parseOutcomeMarker(body) {
   const match = MARKER.exec(String(body ?? ""));
@@ -316,7 +322,7 @@ const bullets = (items) =>
 // this report already handed on.
 function handBack({ outcome, issueNumber, branch, humanLabel, runUrl, runId, onResumed = false }) {
   const pushback = outcome.exit === "pushback";
-  const lines = [
+  const lines = escalated([
     `<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=${outcome.exit}${runId ? ` run=${runId}` : ""}${resumedTag(onResumed)} -->`,
     pushback
       ? "The work-resolve-issue lane did not start this issue: it needs a person to make it clearer first."
@@ -325,7 +331,7 @@ function handBack({ outcome, issueNumber, branch, humanLabel, runUrl, runId, onR
     "Why, in the run's own words:",
     "",
     quoted(outcome.reason || outcome.summary),
-  ];
+  ]);
   if (outcome.notDone.length) {
     lines.push("", "What the run says it did not do:", "", bullets(outcome.notDone.map(({ what }) => what)));
   }
@@ -379,10 +385,10 @@ const RETIRED_SKIPS = new Set(["not-assessed"]);
 // A run its issue dimensions skipped before any model turn: the issue goes to
 // a person with the next step, and agent-ready comes off.
 function dimensionSkipPlan({ reason, issueNumber, humanLabel, runUrl, runId }) {
-  const lines = [
+  const lines = escalated([
     `<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=${reason}${runId ? ` run=${runId}` : ""} -->`,
     `The work-resolve-issue lane did not start this issue (\`${reason}\`). ${DIMENSION_STEPS[reason]}`,
-  ];
+  ]);
   if (runUrl) {
     lines.push("", `Run: ${runUrl}`);
   }
@@ -461,7 +467,7 @@ function turnCapPlan({ issueNumber, branch, cap, restart, humanLabel, runId, run
     exit: "turn-cap",
     issueNumber,
     runId,
-    comment: lines.join("\n"),
+    comment: (restart ? lines : escalated(lines)).join("\n"),
     addLabels: restart ? [] : [humanLabel],
     removeLabels: restart ? [] : ["agent-ready"],
   };

.github/scripts/work-resolve-issue/report-outcome.test.mjs

@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ import {
 } from "./report-outcome.mjs";
 
 const BRANCH = "work-resolve-issue/issue-77-123-1";
+// The first line of every hand-back comment: the attended queue's escalation
+// marker in the grammar of plugins/work-items/reference/escalation-marker.md.
+const ESC = "<!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->\n";
 
 // The run-checks job's `checks` output for `branch` at `tip`, and the ref
 // read main compares that tip with. A test puts it in the outcome directory as
@@ -708,7 +711,7 @@ for (const [reason, step] of [
       assert.deepEqual(calls.find((c) => c.method === "POST" && c.path.endsWith("/labels")).body, { labels: ["needs-human"] });
       assert.ok(calls.some((c) => c.method === "DELETE" && c.path.endsWith("/labels/agent-ready")));
       const comment = calls.find((c) => c.method === "POST" && c.path.endsWith("/comments")).body.body;
-      assert.match(comment, new RegExp(`^<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=${reason} run=123 -->`));
+      assert.match(comment, new RegExp(`^${ESC}<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=${reason} run=123 -->`));
       assert.equal(parseOutcomeMarker(comment).outcome, reason);
       assert.ok(comment.includes(step), comment);
       assert.ok(comment.includes("https://example/o/r/actions/runs/123"), comment);
@@ -807,7 +810,7 @@ test("main on done opens no PR and hands the issue back when the runner's checks
         assert.ok(!calls.some((c) => c.method === "POST" && c.path.endsWith("/pulls")), label);
         assert.deepEqual(calls.find((c) => c.path.endsWith("/issues/77/labels")).body, { labels: ["needs-human"] }, label);
         const comment = calls.find((c) => c.path.endsWith("/issues/77/comments")).body.body;
-        assert.ok(comment.startsWith("<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped run=123 -->"), comment);
+        assert.ok(comment.startsWith(ESC + "<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped run=123 -->"), comment);
       },
     );
   }
@@ -946,7 +949,7 @@ test("main on a resumed done with no commit of its own and no check results hand
       assert.equal(await main({ env: env(dir), fetch }), 0);
       assert.ok(!calls.some((c) => c.path.endsWith("/pulls")));
       const comment = calls.find((c) => c.path.endsWith("/issues/77/comments")).body.body;
-      assert.ok(comment.startsWith("<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped"), comment);
+      assert.ok(comment.startsWith(ESC + "<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped"), comment);
       assert.match(comment, /resumed .* no new commit/);
       assert.ok(comment.includes(RESUMED), comment);
       assert.deepEqual(calls.find((c) => c.method === "POST" && c.path.endsWith("/labels")).body, { labels: ["needs-human"] });
@@ -1014,7 +1017,7 @@ test("main on a resumed done hands back when its branch's checks fail, moved, or
         assert.equal(await main({ env: env(dir), fetch }), 0, label);
         assert.ok(!calls.some((c) => c.method === "POST" && c.path.endsWith("/pulls")), label);
         const comment = calls.find((c) => c.path.endsWith("/issues/77/comments")).body.body;
-        assert.ok(comment.startsWith("<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped"), `${label}: ${comment}`);
+        assert.ok(comment.startsWith(ESC + "<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped"), `${label}: ${comment}`);
         assert.ok(comment.includes(RESUMED), `${label}: ${comment}`);
       },
     );
@@ -1047,7 +1050,7 @@ test("main closes a resumed branch's new PR whose head is not the tip the runner
       assert.deepEqual(calls.find((c) => c.method === "PATCH" && c.path.endsWith("/pulls/90"))?.body, { state: "closed" });
       assert.deepEqual(calls.find((c) => c.path.endsWith("/issues/77/labels")).body, { labels: ["needs-human"] });
       const comment = calls.find((c) => c.path.endsWith("/issues/77/comments")).body.body;
-      assert.ok(comment.startsWith("<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped"), comment);
+      assert.ok(comment.startsWith(ESC + "<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped"), comment);
       assert.ok(comment.includes(CHECKED_TIP), comment);
     },
   );
@@ -1346,7 +1349,7 @@ test("a run at its turn cap with no restart left hands back, naming the cap", ()
     assert.equal(plan.action, "hand-back");
     assert.deepEqual(plan.addLabels, ["needs-human"]);
     assert.deepEqual(plan.removeLabels, ["agent-ready"]);
-    assert.ok(plan.comment.startsWith("<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=turn-cap cap=75 run=555 -->\n"), plan.comment);
+    assert.ok(plan.comment.startsWith(ESC + "<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=turn-cap cap=75 run=555 -->\n"), plan.comment);
     assert.match(plan.comment, /turn cap 75 reached/);
   }
 });
@@ -1362,7 +1365,7 @@ test("a run at its turn cap that committed nothing names no branch", () => {
 test("a forged turn-cap class beside a readable outcome keeps that outcome", () => {
   assert.equal(capped({ outcome: done }).action, "open-pr");
   const stoppedPlan = capped({ outcome: { exit: "stopped", reason: "The tests cannot run here.", title: "", summary: "" } });
-  assert.ok(stoppedPlan.comment.startsWith("<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped run=555 -->"), stoppedPlan.comment);
+  assert.ok(stoppedPlan.comment.startsWith(ESC + "<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped run=555 -->"), stoppedPlan.comment);
 });
 
 test("the turn-cap marker reads back with its run", () => {
@@ -1978,7 +1981,7 @@ test("hand-back markers carry run= and read back with it", () => {
     { exit: "pushback", reason: "Which file?", title: "", summary: "" },
   ]) {
     const plan = decide({ outcome, issueNumber: 77, issueLabels: [], branch: BRANCH, changedFiles: [], runId: "555" });
-    assert.ok(plan.comment.startsWith(`<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=${outcome.exit} run=555 -->\n`), plan.comment);
+    assert.ok(plan.comment.startsWith(`${ESC}<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=${outcome.exit} run=555 -->\n`), plan.comment);
     assert.deepEqual(parseOutcomeMarker(plan.comment), { outcome: outcome.exit, resets: null, run: "555", onResumed: false });
   }
 });
@@ -2527,3 +2530,39 @@ test("the runner records an empty result list when the activity lists no checks"
   assert.equal(run.status, 0, run.stdout);
   assert.deepEqual(run.checks.results, []);
 });
+
+// /work-items:attend-queue lists an issue as escalated only from a comment
+// whose first line is exactly the escalation marker (work-items reference
+// escalation-marker.md), so every plan that adds the human-gated label opens
+// with it, and a plan that keeps agent-ready for a restart carries none.
+test("every hand-back opens with the attended queue's escalation marker, and a restart carries none", () => {
+  const plain = { issueNumber: 77, issueLabels: [], branch: BRANCH, changedFiles: [], runId: "555" };
+  const handBacks = [
+    decide({ ...plain, outcome: { exit: "pushback", reason: "Which file?", title: "", summary: "" } }),
+    decide({ ...plain, outcome: { exit: "stopped", reason: "Tests failed.", title: "", summary: "" } }),
+    decide({ ...plain, outcome: { exit: "done", reason: "", title: "", summary: "" }, escalation: "patch-protected-path" }),
+    capped({ limits: { "turn-cap-restarts": 0 } }),
+  ];
+  for (const plan of handBacks) {
+    assert.deepEqual(plan.addLabels, ["needs-human"], plan.comment);
+    assert.equal(plan.comment.split("\n")[0], "<!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->", plan.comment);
+  }
+  const restarts = [
+    capped(),
+    decideFunding({ funding: { regain: null } }),
+    decideFunding({ limit: { resets: Date.parse("2026-10-17T18:00:00Z") }, now: Date.parse("2026-10-17T12:00:00Z") }),
+  ];
+  for (const plan of restarts) {
+    assert.deepEqual(plan.addLabels, [], plan.comment);
+    assert.ok(!plan.comment.includes("work-items:escalation"), plan.comment);
+  }
+});
+
+test("an outcome marker reads back after the escalation marker line, and after no other line", () => {
+  const outcome = "<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=stopped run=9 -->\nWhy.";
+  const read = { outcome: "stopped", resets: null, run: "9", onResumed: false };
+  assert.deepEqual(parseOutcomeMarker(`<!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->\n${outcome}`), read);
+  assert.deepEqual(parseOutcomeMarker(`<!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->\r\n${outcome}`), read);
+  assert.equal(parseOutcomeMarker(`<!-- work-items:escalation lane=pr-unblock kind=escalated -->\n${outcome}`), null);
+  assert.equal(parseOutcomeMarker(`Quoting <!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->\n${outcome}`), null);
+});

docs/conventions/pr-pipeline/README.md

@@ -1786,7 +1786,7 @@ every hour (and on a manual run from `main`) with no model. It reads the signals
 | 6 report-only audit | the newest scheduled run of `maintenance-audit-test-selection` or `maintenance-check-upstream-drift` failed, which each does on findings | `audit:<workflow>` |
 | 7 platform incident | githubstatus.com has an incident naming Actions that is open or began in the window, or shows Actions not operational | `platform:<incident>`, `platform:actions` |
 | 8 throughput | no PR by `merge.agent-identity` merged for 3 hours while pr-merge's newest live sweep, at most 70 minutes old, counts candidates | `throughput-zero` |
-| 9 lane stop | a comment by `merge.agent-identity` created in the window starts with a `<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=funding\|limited\|turn-cap ... -->` marker, one issue per outcome listing each stopped issue | `lane-stop:funding`, `lane-stop:limited`, `lane-stop:turn-cap` |
+| 9 lane stop | a comment by `merge.agent-identity` created in the window starts with a `<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=funding\|limited\|turn-cap ... -->` marker, alone or after the attended queue's escalation marker line, one issue per outcome listing each stopped issue | `lane-stop:funding`, `lane-stop:limited`, `lane-stop:turn-cap` |
 
 An issue's first body line is `<!-- factory-monitor key=<key> fp=<fingerprint> -->`; the body names
 the signal, the owning area and the key, and carries the evidence inside a text fence as inert lines.

docs/conventions/pr-pipeline/pr-run-activity.md

@@ -1733,7 +1733,7 @@ listing and re-fires the issue on main's files, once per version of the two file
 `probe-first`) takes no model turn and leaves no outcome, so the caller's `report-skip` job,
 which needs `admit` and `pick-slot` only, runs `report-outcome` in the write file with
 `dimension-skip`: it labels the issue `needs-human`, removes `agent-ready`, and comments the next
-step under an `outcome=<reason>` marker. What changes from the PR flow:
+step under the escalation marker and an `outcome=<reason>` marker. What changes from the PR flow:
 
 - Step 1 also fails red unless the event is `issues`, `issue-number` is the event's issue,
   `trusted-base` is `default-tip`, and `pr-number` and `dispatcher-run-id` are empty; in the read
@@ -1820,12 +1820,15 @@ step under an `outcome=<reason>` marker. What changes from the PR flow:
   for the compare listing to show whole. It adds the same line when the issue carries `merge: human` whose newest `labeled`
   event is a listed human's or the lanes App's, or cannot be read, and never for anyone else's.
   The run's own summary is quoted with issue references broken, so squash-merging the PR closes only `#<n>`. On `pushback` or `stopped`, and when the outcome file is missing
-  or invalid, it labels the issue with the human-gated role label and comments why; pushback also
-  removes `agent-ready`. Each comment opens with the marker
+  or invalid, it labels the issue with the human-gated role label, removes `agent-ready`, and
+  comments why. Every comment that adds the human-gated label opens with the attended
+  queue's escalation marker `<!-- work-items:escalation lane=work-resolve-issue kind=escalated -->`,
+  so `/work-items:attend-queue` lists the issue, and then the outcome marker
   `<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=<exit> run=<run id> -->`, which `issue-prior` matches to the
   branches of that run (a marker naming no run covers every branch whose tip is older than it).
+  Comments that keep `agent-ready` open with the outcome marker alone.
   A run that wrote no readable outcome file and whose lane record has class `max-turns` is a
-  turn-cap stop: the comment opens with `<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=turn-cap cap=<n> run=<run id> -->`
+  turn-cap stop: the comment's outcome marker is `<!-- work-resolve-issue outcome=turn-cap cap=<n> run=<run id> -->`
   and says "turn cap <n> reached" and names the branch. While the turn-cap markers since a person
   listed human last added `agent-ready` are fewer than `limits.turn-cap-restarts`, it keeps `agent-ready` and
   adds no label, and the work-unblock sweep restarts the issue as it does after a limit stop;