• FSMSSA Holds
  Public Forums
• Social Security
  Week
• 2nd Regular
  Board Meeting
• The New
  Regulations
• CY 2003: First
  Quarter Summary
  Report

The FSM Social Security Administration continues in its goal to educate the people of the FSM about the FSM Social Security System in the form of public forums.
During the 9th Annual Judicial Conference on Pohnpei, the FSM Social Security Administrator introduced the new Proposed Regulations to the general public.
The Proposed Regulations, which are guided by Title 53 of the FSM Code and were approved by the FSM Social Security Board

of Trustees, will help fine-tune the process of applying for social security benefits and will serve as a guideline for employers in terms of social security taxation.
In his presentation at the 9th Annual Judicial Conference, the FSMSS Administrator, Alexander Narruhn, notified the audience that there will be public forums conducted by the FSM Social Security Branch Offices to introduce the Proposed Regulations to the general public and to place the regulations under open discussion.
The first wave of these forums has already been conducted in the four states of the FSM. The forums served not only for the purpose of introducing the Proposed Regulations but also as a means of educating the people of the FSM about the social security system.
Each branch office visited different municipalities in their respective states and elaborated on the Proposed Regulations and the social security system in general.
The forums taught the people specific information about the social security benefits and the proper procedures of obtaining and maintaining these privileges.
Highlights from the forums include the types of evidences needed for each specific social security benefits and how to obtain these evidences; what the beneficiaries should do when certain events should occur; what employers should know concerning taxation; and appeal procedures.
The forums were conducted in the order of explanation from the social security staff followed by discussion and questions from the audience. Pamphlets explaining the social security system were given out during the forums.
The FSM Social Security Administration was pleased with the fact that the forums were marked by a constant interaction between the social security staff and the people. This led to much understanding of not only the social security system buts it also bridged a bond between the social security staff and the people.