Depending upon if you have a union shop you should check with the Human Resource department as to what their policy is. If it is written then you have no recourse other than to accept it.
There is no union. The individual is an RN in the Intensive Care Unit of a hospitol, on the job for 5 years. Individual was charged with a felony and they let them go/personal leave, no pay.
You should have in your possesion the hospital's CODE OF CONDUCT policy and procedures manual. You should have received it when you were first hired on. If not you have a right to ask for a copy. Also, I would ask specifically the reason for the leave of absence. Write everything down as to the time, date, person you spoke to, etc... Any conversations you have over the phone should be recorded but you will have to let the person know that this call is being recorded or you will not be able to you use the tape in a court setting.
Contact someone who is a member of Prepaid Legal Services. You pay a small monthly fee but the rewards could be enormous. I pay $26.00 per month which covers my entire family. If I have a legal issue they will have a lawyer call me within 8 hours. Depending upon the case it may incur additional fees of which you will receive a 25% discount. In most cases, matters could be settled by them writing a letter to the company. If your case goes to court then you may have to pay additional fees.
Much of what you say is true... tough to complain if you are an at will employee -- is there an employment contract? That might help.
With regard to the rest, I have always been disgusted with Prepaid Legal Services, beginning with the fact that they are one of the WORST offenders of Internet spam and they don't seem to care if they dump it all over you, or through their "affiliates" that they don't seem to care to police properly.