On International Women's Day on Wednesday, Iceland announced a new law that will require public and private companies to pay employees equally "regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or nationality," The Associated Press reported. AP noted Iceland seems to be the first country to ever mandate equal pay for even private firms, though it pointed out other countries and U.S. states have "equal-salary certificate policies."
To ensure companies are obeying the mandate, the Icelandic government will require companies with 25 or more employees on staff to get certification proving compliance. The legislation is expected to gain approval from lawmakers, despite some criticism that it's "a burden to put on companies." The Icelandic government is aiming to enact the law by 2020.
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