Slander/Defamation of character perhaps? idk...help!

[luckyladybug238]

I'm new to this site, but I have found myself in a terrible predicament. I would appreciate your patience and help while I try to figure what to do in my situation. (this thread will probably be long)
I was employed at a small family-run restaurant owned by a family member of my mother's. At this establishment, of 8 employees employed while I was working there, 3 of them were having taxes taken out of their wages, the rest of us being paid "under the table." Knowing this to be a federal offense, I consulted my supervisor (my mother's family member) about this and asked to have my wages taxed. Being the first time I had been employed, I was ignorant and thought she took care of it, not knowing i needed to sign documents for this to take place. After working at this establishment for approximately 9 months with no schedule being posted (the employees who had been there longest were to call other employees and determine their times to work for each week,) the supervisor's daughter-in-law called me to ask if i was working a particular day, and if not, would I work for her. I replied that if she called at least the day before, I would work in her place. After not hearing from her for the next few days, she called to wake me up at 6:30 am on the day she had asked about for me to be at work at 7:00am (I live 20-25 min away.) I did not take the phone call and did not report to work in her place. I heard of her calling my house from another co-worker, as I do not have caller ID. That week, I was not called to come to work, and I considered myself to have quit. Only one time before I was warned for being late, and I was called in that day to work for a sick co-worker and the supervisor was not aware of that. She apologized for reprimanding me. Recently, I have placed applications at various establishments and had several call-backs, only to not hear anything more after they contact this place of business for my work reference. Since the last occurance of this, I have learned that the interviewers have spoken to my supervisor's daughter-in-law (who was my co-worker, not a supervisor) in her stead about my employment there. I am not on good terms with this person because of the situation described above, and she always picked at me for being younger and 'less experienced'. All the while I worked there she tried to stir up trouble with me, even stooping so far once to say I ran into her with coffee pots and did not apologize and went so far as to attack my mother (who had nothing to do with it) and blame her for the occurance while trying to stir up trouble with my mom and the supervisor. Is there any way that I may put a stop to the negative feedback, as I feel she is retaliating for whatever reason. I was a good, hard worker, going above and beyond in my work, often picking up slack of other workers, including the described co-worker. In fact, I was often the requested waitress over the waitresses who had been there for 5 years or more and offered several jobs while working by others seeing my work ethics. I need to know if there is any way I can find out what was said by my co-worker in the previously mentioned interviews, and is there anything I can do to end this. It has been 3 months since I worked last, I am living off my savings and they are dwindling. I am in desperate need of a job as I am trying to pay my way through school, but with only one work reference, if they report anything negative I am afraid I will not get a job anytime soon which will put me in trouble with my credit due to my student loans. Any help with this situation would be appreciated, any contacts or ANYTHING I can do.

sorry so long, i'm very distraught and I have no idea where to go with this.
thanks in advance,

AP