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