The aim of this thesis is to analyze and compare work-family policies in Croatia and the European Union. According to contemporary trends related to business commitments and changes in the labor market and within the family, individuals are facing time pressures that is leading towards increased conflict between family and professional life. Parents are trying to provide appropriate care for their children and participate in their upbringing, but they are also trying to increase their competitiveness at work, progress and earn more. Therefore, participation in the labor market often leads to a reduction in the quality of family life. Work-family policies are seeking to make it easier for parents to reconcile family and business life. Among these measures, the most important are parental leave, early and pre-school education services and flexible labor market practices. It has been shown that these measures are leading to higher employment of women in the labor market, reduction of gender inequality, and improvement of the demographic situation. The most developed countries of the European Union are characterized by the successful implementation of these policies and their positive effects. Comparing Croatia with other countries of the European Union, it can be noticed that in Croatia these measures and services are insufficiently developed, especially the services of early and preschool education. Therefore, the situation in Croatia requires significant reforms and the investment of generous resources in order to improve services and to achieve positive results and effects both in the labor market and within the family.