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<h1>Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Asia and the Pacific, 2008</h1>
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<h1>Western Samoa</h1>
<div class="exchangeRate">Exchange rate: <abbr>US</abbr>$1.00 equals 2.31&nbsp;tala.</div>
<h2>Old Age, Disability, and Survivors</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First and current law:</span> 1972 (national provident fund), with 1972 and 1990 amendments.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Provident fund and universal old-age pension system.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Provident fund:</span> Employed persons, including household workers.</p>
<p>Voluntary coverage for self-employed persons.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Senior citizen benefit scheme:</span> Western Samoan citizens aged&nbsp;65 or older residing in Western Samoa.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<h4>Provident fund</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Insured person:</span> 5% of gross monthly earnings. (Additional voluntary contributions are permitted without limit.)</p>
<p><span class="h5">Self-employed person:</span> Voluntary contributions only.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Employer:</span> 5% of monthly payroll.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Government:</span> None; contributes as an employer.</p>
<h4>Senior citizen benefit scheme</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Insured person:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Self-employed person:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Employer:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Government:</span> The total cost.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<h4>Provident fund</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Old-age pension:</span> Age&nbsp;55 and retired from covered employment; at any age if emigrating permanently or after 12&nbsp;consecutive months of residence overseas. If covered employment continues after age&nbsp;55, the fund member must continue to make contributions to the fund. If new employment begins after funds are withdrawn at age&nbsp;55, the fund member must contribute for 12&nbsp;months before withdrawing funds again.</p>
<p>Early withdrawal: Age&nbsp;50 and unemployed for 5&nbsp;or more years.</p>
<p>Drawdown payment: Must have a minimum balance of 500&nbsp;tala.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Disability pension:</span> Must be assessed with a total incapacity for work in covered employment. A general medical practitioner assesses the disability.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Survivor pension:</span> Paid for the death of the fund member.</p>
<p>Eligible survivors include the spouse, children, and siblings.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Death benefit:</span> Paid for the death of the fund member before age&nbsp;55. The fund member must have been an active contributor at the time of death.</p>
<p>Eligible survivors include the spouse, children, and siblings.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Senior citizen benefit scheme:</span> Age&nbsp;65.</p>
<h3>Old-Age Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Old-age pension (provident fund):</span> A fund member can choose from three benefit options: a monthly pension based on total insured person and employer contributions, plus interest; a monthly pension based on 75% of total insured person and employer contributions, plus interest, with the remaining 25% paid as a lump sum; or a lump sum equal to the full amount in their account taken at age&nbsp;55.</p>
<p>Interest rate adjustment: The interest rate is adjusted every 3&nbsp;years according to an actuarial review.</p>
<p>Drawdown payment: Up to 50% of the total insured person and employer contributions may be drawn down. The payment is repaid as a loan at an annual interest rate of 11%. If used for building a house, the loan must be at least 50,000&nbsp;tala.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Senior citizen benefit scheme:</span> 125&nbsp;tala a month is paid. (Senior citizens also receive subsidized health care in public hospitals and free interisland travel on public seagoing vessels.)</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: The senior citizen benefit is reviewed periodically by the government.</p>
<h3>Permanent Disability Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Disability pension (provident fund):</span> A fund member can choose from three benefit options: a monthly pension based on total employee and employer contributions, plus interest; a monthly pension based on 75% of total employee and employer contributions, plus interest, with the remaining 25% paid as a lump sum; or a lump sum equal to the full amount in their account taken at age&nbsp;55.</p>
<p>Interest rate adjustment: The interest rate is adjusted every 3&nbsp;years according to an actuarial review.</p>
<h3>Survivor Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor pension (provident fund):</span> 50% of the deceased's monthly pension is split among named survivors according to proportions stated by the deceased.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Death benefit (provident fund):</span> A lump sum of 5,000&nbsp;tala is paid.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: The death benefit is adjusted according to the financial health of the fund.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>Samoa National Provident Fund (http://www.npf.ws), managed by a tripartite board, administers the scheme.</p>
<p>Senior Citizen Benefit Scheme Department of the Samoa National Provident Fund administers the senior citizen benefit scheme.</p>
<h2>Sickness and Maternity</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p>No statutory cash benefits are provided. (Cash benefits for temporary and permanent disability are provided for nonwork-related injuries under Work Injury, below.)</p>
<p>Some medical services are provided free of charge to the population through government health centers.</p>
<p>Other hospital and medical services are provided under the senior citizen benefit scheme and the work injury program.</p>
<h2>Work Injury</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1960.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current laws:</span> 1978 and 1989 (accident compensation), with 2003 amendment.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Employer-liability system, involving compulsory insurance with a private carrier.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>Employed persons.</p>
<p>Exclusions: Self-employed persons.</p>
<p>The total population is covered under a separate scheme for nonwork-related injuries, including injuries resulting from an accident involving a motor vehicle or a boat traveling within Western Samoa.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> None for work-related injuries; 1% of earnings for nonwork-related injuries.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Self-employed person:</span> Not applicable.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> 1% of payroll for work-related injuries.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> None.</p>
<p>An earmarked tax of 0.05&nbsp;tala per gallon on motor fuel finances benefits for victims of motor vehicle and boat accidents.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Work injury benefits:</span> There is no minimum qualifying period.</p>
<h3>Temporary Disability Benefits</h3>
<p>70% of the insured's earnings is paid for up to 5&nbsp;years after a <span class="nobr">5-day</span> waiting period; the benefit period may be extended. The benefit is paid for a temporary disability resulting from a work-related or a nonwork-related injury (including motor vehicle and boat accidents).</p>
<p>The maximum weekly benefit is 400&nbsp;tala.</p>
<h3>Permanent Disability Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Permanent disability benefit:</span> If the assessed degree of disability is at least 80%, the weekly benefit is equal to 70% of the insured's last earnings multiplied by the assessed degree of disability. The benefit is paid until rehabilitation or death.</p>
<p>The maximum weekly benefit is 400&nbsp;tala.</p>
<p>Partial permanent disability: If the assessed degree of permanent disability is less than 80% and the injured person returns to work before the period of entitlement to temporary disability benefit ceases, a lump sum is paid according to the assessed degree of disability, up to 8,000&nbsp;tala.</p>
<h3>Workers' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>Benefits include reasonable medical expenses; 15,000&nbsp;tala is provided for artificial limbs or treatment abroad.</p>
<h3>Survivor Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor grant:</span> A lump sum of 20,000&nbsp;tala is paid to dependents. For the death of a worker, a weekly payment of up to 200&nbsp;tala is also paid for a maximum of 4&nbsp;years.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Funeral grant:</span> 2,000 tala is paid for a death caused by a work-related accident (or motor vehicle or boat accidents).</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>Labor Department provides general supervision.</p>
<p>Accident Compensation Corporation administers the program.</p>
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