I am very new in the states as of 2004. I was hired in 10/2004 at a company and by 01 /2005 I found out I was pregnant, due in September before completing 1 year at my job. I worked everyday without asking for sick day or vacations, to accumulate to have extra for maternity leave in September. My boss said I would be under FMLA, but he never explained that this was unpaid :eek: . I was foolish to not investigate myself. I was already on maternity leave when he told me this and 1 week from giving birth. I was not in a good situation and ended up in a survival position. Under extreme circumstances, my parents helped me out, which now I am in debt with them. I have been told by many many people that at that time I was able to apply for unemployment compensation benefits. Is this true? Is there anything I can do now? I found myself with nothing in the bank halfway through my maternity leave. I couldn't pay rent, phone, food, nothing! Why didn't my employer explain these things to me? Am I considered unemployed while on maternity leave if I am not earning? I did return to work after 8 weeks, only 1 was accrued vacation. Is there anything that I can do now to possibly recover what I could have received then?

You can only apply for unemployment if you are able to work and actively seeking work. It would be very unusual indeed if you can collect unemployment while on medical leave from your employer. Unless CT has a VERY unusual state law, what you were told was incorrect. You are not considered unemployed while you are on medical leave.

Most people in this country know that FMLA leave is unpaid. Your employer probably didn't realize that you were unaware of that. There is only one state in the US where the employer is required to provide paid medical leave and even in that state, it only applies in some circumstances. While there are five states that have a mandatory disability plan, CT is not one of them.

Since there's nothing to suggest that there's any income you could/should have been receiving, no, there's no way to go back and collect it now.

That is what I thought. I do know for a fact that my employer knew very well my history and that I have not lived in the US for 15 years. I am sorry for him that trying to be such a great president of his company he didn't even suggest that I could have done something on my own, such as applying for STD or anything that could have helped me then. Things are done and no turning back now. I have learned off experience and will know next time. I just needed to get it out of my head. Thank you!

Even if your employer had told you up front that the leave would be unpaid, what difference would it have made? You still would not have had the income from the job, you still would not have been eligible for unemployment.