I was a full-time employee of my company working in a facility for another company. I put in for a vacation through my company which was approved. The reason that I left for vacation was to visit with family during the return of my brother from Iraq where he spent the past 7 months. He was to be here for thirteen days, after fighting from town to town in Iraq. My company knew the reason for the visit but after one week of the visit I find out that the supervisor of the company which we were contracted to wants me fired due to them being shorthanded. Do I have a case?

Since taking vacation is not a protected activity, no, it is not illegal to fire you for leaving the company shorthanded, even if the vacation was approved.

I know it doesn't make sense.

It is not the company that is the problem, but the client company. They are upset because the vacation impacts on them and will put pressure on the employer to replace the employee.

This is putting the employer in a bad spot -- lose the employee or lose the customer.

It would be unfair, but legal, for the company to discharge the OP.

My state passed a law last year allowing two weeks of unpaid Family Military Leave in such situations (with employer and employee qualifications similar to FMLA).