The Social Security System of the Republic of Palau traces its roots to the enactment by the Congress of Micronesia of the Social Security Act of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands which came into effect on July 1, 1968.
With the dissolution of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and the separation of Palau from the rest of the former Trust Territory entities, Palau enacted a law (RPPL 2-29) known as the "Social Security Act of 1987", which established the Palau Social Security Trust Fund that took over the Palau share of assets and liabilities of the Trust Territory Social Security System.
In 1991, this was replaced by RPPL 3-64, which provided for retirement, survivor, disability and death benefits to covered wage earners and self-employed persons as well as their qualified survivors.
Recently, through the enactment of the National Healthcare Financing Act, the Social Security Administration became responsible for administering Palau’s first national healthcare financing program, known today as the Healthcare Fund.
The Social Security Administration of the Republic of Palau is a self-supporting and self-funding public corporation, wholly owned by the Republic of Palau. It has five Board Members who are appointed by the President of the Republic of Palau, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The five Board Members select and appoint a Social Security Administrator who, in turn, is charged with the general administration of the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Administrator serving also as an ex officio Board Member.
The Social Security Administrator also serves on the Healthcare Fund Governing Committee, along with the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Health, a Governor’s Association representative, and a Chamber of Commerce representative.
Our motto "Continuous Improvement" reflects how we operate and how we look at how we serve all our customers - the public community of Palau. We will never say no to a customer's request without reviewing it first.
Our mission is to fulfill the intent and purpose of the Social Security Act, that is, to ensure that “persons covered may be ensured a measure of security in their old age or during disability, and may be given in old age an opportunity for leisure without hardship and loss of income, and, further, to provide survivor's insurance for their spouses and children”. We, the staff of the Republic of Palau Social Security Administration, discharge that duty with courtesy, professionalism and fairness to all.
