Iceland Makes Companies Prove They’re Not Paying Women Less
- 6 years ago
Iceland Makes Companies Prove They’re Not Paying Women Less
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Iceland this week began putting in place a new law
that requires companies and government agencies to prove they are paying men and women equally, positioning the country at the forefront of global efforts to minimize gender inequality.
While Iceland has had equal pay laws in place since 1961, the new standard is seen as the first time
that the small and prosperous nation of about 340,000 has put in place specific steps to try to force companies to eliminate pay gaps.
Icelandic law since 2013 requires private companies with more than 50 employees to have at least 40 percent women — or men — on their executive board.
In Iceland, women earned 14 percent to 20 percent less than men, according to government figures for 2015.
“But this is a legally binding tool kit.”
For wage equality, Iceland ranked fifth in the report, which said
that globally, the average pay for women in 2017 was $12,000, compared with $21,000 for men.
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Iceland this week began putting in place a new law
that requires companies and government agencies to prove they are paying men and women equally, positioning the country at the forefront of global efforts to minimize gender inequality.
While Iceland has had equal pay laws in place since 1961, the new standard is seen as the first time
that the small and prosperous nation of about 340,000 has put in place specific steps to try to force companies to eliminate pay gaps.
Icelandic law since 2013 requires private companies with more than 50 employees to have at least 40 percent women — or men — on their executive board.
In Iceland, women earned 14 percent to 20 percent less than men, according to government figures for 2015.
“But this is a legally binding tool kit.”
For wage equality, Iceland ranked fifth in the report, which said
that globally, the average pay for women in 2017 was $12,000, compared with $21,000 for men.