Man as a human being has different needs that are necessary for a decent human life. Many live in the absence of basic living conditions and are therefore in a way abducted from the society in which they live. Poverty is a serious problem that endangers the lives of many people. The most common reason for falling into poverty is unemployment and represents one of the most important problems facing almost every state. The global economic crisis has caused a disruption in the labor market both in the European Union and in Croatia. But, Europe is striving for development and progress that would benefit all citizens, including the weakest. Decision-makers at national and EU levels are trying to tackle many of the measures and reforms to counteract inequalities in the world, which is one of the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy. Croatia is mostly heading towards social policies used in Europe.