Legal Question in Employment Law in California

This may come as a shock to you, but tribal casinos are not subject to state or federal labor laws. They are considered nations that have negotiated treaties with the United States government and it is those treaties that control and preempt our labor laws. You would have to proceed in their version of tribal court and few attorneys will handle civil cases in that forum.

Having said that, there is no state or federal law that says it is illegal to lay off an employee an rehire someone else, regardless of the time frame. Most employment is presumed to be terminable at the will of the employer with no obligation to rehire the laid off employee, unless required to do so by union contract.

You were informed wrong. Unless you have a specific written employment agreement, you are an 'at will' employee under California and federal law, who can be fired any time for any reason. If you were in a union, they are your remedy. You MAY have some different status and rights under tribal law, but you would have to consult the tribal charter or other source for those rules; I doubt it though.