Venting! Long post about work and Maternity pay

I guess I need advice and I need to vent, because I am PISSED. I had my baby July 13th. I told my work that I only wanted to apply for FMLA (12 weeks unpaid leave), and NOT apply for Paternity Leave(6 weeks 1/2 compensation). The reason being, if you quit while on Maternity leave, you have to pay that money back, or you have to return to work for 30 days. I was very upfront with my job and told them it was a possibility I might not come back because we might move back to our hometown after I have baby. I told 3, yes THREE HR reps this (had a sit down meeting with one of them), my manager, and 2 supervisors this (1 supervisor quit while i was pregnant, and i told the next supervisor multiple times, the last time being the day before I had my baby). Anyways, I have my baby, and I get a couple paychecks. My last paycheck in July was for my time worked (it was a full paycheck for my hours). I received 2 paychecks in August, which I assumed were for my vacation and sick leave payout, and for "vacation donation". Last time I was pregnant and went on Maternity leave, someone donated vacation hours to me, and I got 2 full paychecks before HR called to tell me that someone donated hours. SO when I got a full paycheck for my first check in August, and a half paycheck the end of August, I figured the same thing happened again. Well then I get another paycheck the beginning of September, and I'm confused. I look to see what was going on, and these mother f***ers have been paying me the Parental Leave. I am livid.

YES I KNOW I should have looked at my pay stubs, but I didn't because I had ZERO reason to expect that money. I didn't even fill out the paperwork for it. I didn't SIGN for it (you have to apply for it separately from FMLA).

I called my HR rep and my supervisor to see WTF was going on and the only answer I'm given is, "I'm sorry we made a mistake, but you do have to pay that money back since you are quitting".

I can pay back Septembers because I kept ahold of the money once I realized what was happening, but I can't freaking pay back August's money. I am so mad. And I can't go back to work for 30 days because my oldest just started school and I have absolutely no one to drop him off and pick him up.

I told them that because I was so transparent with them with the fact I might be quitting after I have the baby, and the fact that I went ABOVE AND BEYOND what I needed to do to MAKE SURE I didn't receive that money, that the fact that I did receive it, from where I'm standing, it looks like they paid me that money to make sure I would have to return back to work. I told them that I will give them until this week to discuss it amongst themselves again if I need to pay that money back, and if they come to the conclusion that I do, I will be speaking with my lawyer.

Again, I KNOW I should have looked at my pay stubs, but with me not signing/ applying/ or authorizing it, I had no reason to think that I was going to receive this money. I'm pissed at them and I'm pissed at myself. One of the main reasons I'm quitting my job was because their communication was AWFUL and this just proves that.

And one HR rep says, "with your supervisor quitting and getting a new one, it's caused some confusion, so I'm glad we caught this before it was completely out of hand". IM SORRY FIRST OF ALL, I CAUGHT THIS, YOU DID NOT. Second of all, she quit 2 months before my due date, and third of all, I told my new supervisor MULTIPLE times that I was NOT applying for it.

Sorry I'm just so mad. I know I will probably have to pay it back, but I just 🤬🤬🤬🖕🖕🖕🖕.