NPR

Companies In Iceland Now Required To Demonstrate They Pay Men, Women Fairly

Pay discrimination was already illegal. But the country's new law, the first of its kind in the world, requires companies with 25 employees or more to certify that they pay employees without bias.

Starting this week, companies in Iceland are required to demonstrate that they pay male and female employees fairly — without gender discrimination. Failing to do so can result in daily fines.

The law, which was passed last year and went into effect on Monday, is believed to be the first of its kind in the world and covers both the private and public sectors.

Some headlines — it was already illegal to pay men and women differently on the basis of their gender. (And, to be clear, it was and is legal to pay a man more than a woman, or vice versa, provided there is a valid reason.)

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