The purpose of the equal pay policy is that all staff of the Directorate of Fisheries enjoy equal pay and the same terms for the same work or work of equal value, so that no insubstantial wage difference exists. The equal pay policy applies to all staff at the Directorate of Fisheries.

The Directorate of Fisheries emphasises equality in wages, as well as in other areas. The Institute operates an equal pay system that meets the requirements of the equal pay standard ÍST85:2012, the Equal Rights Act and other laws and principles that employees shall be paid equal wages for the same work or work of equal value regardless of gender.

Evaluation of the value of jobs

The Directorate of Fisheries has job descriptions for all jobs that are housed in the institute's records system. It includes all the main aspects of work, such as responsibilities, main tasks and requirements for education. All jobs at the Directorate of Fisheries are also defined in employment families. The factors that have to be considered in defining families of employees are the factors that make up the foundation of the value of jobs, for example, the requirements that a job makes of an employee with regards to responsibilities, knowledge and competence. Jobs belonging to the same family of employees are generally considered equally valuable.

Wage setting and pay decisions

Collective and institutional agreements are the basis for wage decisions at the Directorate of Fisheries. It is also important to take a look at equal pay policy. The salary setting of the Directorate of Fisheries is based on factors that form the basis of the value of jobs, e.g. the demands that a job makes of an employee with regard to responsibility, knowledge and competence. Furthermore, the subject matter and nature of their job, knowledge, skills, responsibility, workload, human resources, education, projects, etc., also have an impact on wage setting.

Wage decisions shall be in accordance with the wage structure of the Institute. It shall be in accordance with current agreements and supported by arguments so as to ensure that the same wages are paid for comparable or equivalent work. Decisions on wage changes are made by the Directorate of Fisheries in consultation with the human resources manager and the relevant head of department.

Equal pay policy

The Directorate of Fisheries fully complies with its own policy on equality, Icelandic law relating to equality issues and the Institute's equal pay system, which aims to meet all the requirements of the equal pay standard ÍST 85:2012. The Administration thus ensures that all staff receive the same wages and benefits for comparable or equivalent work. The incalculable wage gap has not passed within the Directorate of Fisheries.

In order to implement the wage policy and thereby the equal pay policy of the Directorate of Fisheries, the Institute undertakes to document the procedures of the equal pay system, introduce, promote, maintain and continually improve the management of the equal pay system in accordance with the requirements of the equal pay standard. The Directorate of Fisheries has introduced a procedure and defined criteria for determining wages, in which each individual is paid for his/her work based on its value, regardless of gender, sexual identity or other reasons that cannot be considered relevant.

The Directorate of Fisheries and the human resources manager review the wage structure of jobs and the wages of employees annually to ensure that consistency is maintained and that equal wages and the same terms are paid for similar or equivalent jobs. If it is likely that wage discrimination exists and/or other forms of discrimination regarding the rights of staff, the Directorate of Fisheries shall demonstrate that the determination of wages and/or rights has been based on other reasons than gender and take appropriate measures if other factors are identified.

The scope and nature of employment affects wages and is determined by the criteria for classification of jobs according to an equal pay standard, such as knowledge, competence, responsibility, workload and personalised factors according to an institutional contract. It is the joint responsibility of management that wage decisions are made in accordance with this policy and based on transparent and objective criteria.

In order to implement the objectives of the equal pay policy, the Directorate of Fisheries, among others, will:

Document and maintain an equal pay system in accordance with the requirements of the equal pay standard ÍST 85:2012 and maintain certification in accordance with the legal rules on equal pay certification at any given time.

Perform a wage analysis at least once a year, comparing work of equal value and examining whether the difference in wages is measured by gender.

• Work on continuous improvement, monitoring and response in accordance with the requirements of the equal pay system and react to deviations when they arise.

• Compliance with the standard for internal audits and management reviews on an annual basis.

• Apply the relevant laws, regulations and collective agreements in force at any given time.

• Introducing the policy to employees. The policy shall also be accessible in the quality system of the institution. The policy shall also be published on the external website of the Institute.

• The equal pay policy is an integral part of the Wage Policy of the Directorate of Fisheries.

Approved by the Board of Supervisors on October 26, 2021.