Japanese and other foreign companies often send executives and trainees to the United States to hold positions with their U.S. subsidiaries as “seconded” employees. Expatriates are representatives of their companies, both practically and symbolically. How they interact with local hires, and the way they themselves are treated by the employer, inevitably will send a message to U.S. employees.

This messaging, whether intentional or not, can make American employees proud to be associated with the company—or, in a worst case, may cause the employees to feel they are being unfairly treated, or victims of discrimination.