The proposed legislation follows an equal pay pilot program in which government bodies and companies identified chronic hurdles<br />that block women from higher-paying jobs: Women occupy different professions from men and fewer high-level positions, contributing to lower pay.<br />Iceland has had equal pay laws for half a century, pushing companies and the government to gradually reduce the pay gap.<br />At a Reykjavik-based ad agency called the White House, Anna Kristin Kristjansdottir, a board member<br />and owner, said the equal pay audit revealed leanings in the 45-person work force, including the proportion of higher-level jobs held by men.<br />Women in Iceland still earn 14 percent to 20 percent less than men, according to the government.<br />About 80 percent of Iceland’s uniformed customs agents are men, a group paid 30 percent more than customs tax collectors, who are mostly women.<br />The new rules would require the biggest companies and government agencies to undergo audits, starting in 2018,<br />and to obtain a certification of compliance with equal pay rules.<br />The agents work longer hours and face challenges like inspecting cargo for drugs, so the review<br />found the pay system was justified, said Snorri Olsen, Iceland’s Customs director.
