I work for a law firm in the state of Mississippi and my question is........Is my employer able to lay me off while 5 weeks into my maternity leave? I do not carry insurance through the firm. But are their any actions I can take legally.

They may not lay you off BECAUSE you took maternity leave. But if you would have been laid off regardless of whether you took maternity leave or not, they can legally lay you off during your leave. Being on maternity leave does not protect you from ALL layoffs, only layoffs that are triggered by your taking the leave itself.,