You can add ‘mandatory laws for equal pay’ to your list of ‘All the reasons why you need to move to Iceland right now’ right below ‘Northern lLghts’ and ‘possible elf sightings’.
Despite being ranked the best country in the world for gender equality by the World Economic Forum, female workers in Iceland were still earning 14 to 18 percent less than men. To combat this, the government has introduced legislation into the parliament that makes it mandatory for employers to prove that they’re offering equal pay, regardless of gender, race or sexuality. The new order will be effective this month.
All employers, with more than 25 staff members, have to obtain certification to prove that they give equal pay for work of equal value; this is applicable for both public and private firms.
Social affairs and equality minister Thorsteinn Viglundsson stated that this is the right time to introduce such a radical method, “Equal rights are human rights,” he said, adding, “We need to make sure that men and women enjoy equal opportunity in the workplace. It is our responsibility to take every measure to achieve that.”
Iceland has become the first country in the world that has passed such a law and their aim is to eradicate gender wage gap by 2022.
