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Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

If you signed a contract upon hiring, your employer is bound by any rules for termination set forth in it. If there is an employee hand book, find it, read it and see what procedures (if any) it sets out for the termination process.

It is likely, however, that you were an "at will" employee which means you can be fired for any reason - other than something illegal or unconstitutional (think gender, race, religion, etc.).

And when I say "any reason" that's what I mean. In Maryland, as long as they didn't use the "performance related issues" to cover for something like race (which you would need to prove) and followed their own internal guidelines, an employer can fire you because he doesn't like you, thinks your jokes aren't funny or because he was in the mood to fire someone and you happened to be the first one through the door.

As to unemployment, file for benefits, but it sounds like a "for cause" firing, in which case, you are likely to be SOL.

Virginia is a right to work state and an employer can fire you for any reason.