fired while on medical leave

What is the name of your state? Tennessee my dr. faxed an "excuse from work" to my employer. Employer claims it was not received therefor I was terminated for not calling in on the days missed. What can I do?

Even if they'd received the fax from your doctor stating you were ill on those days, that still doesn't excuse your failure to call in and report your absences, unless you were in a coma. I don't see that you can do anything other than apply for unemployment benefits (which under the circumstances are not assured) and start looking for a new job.

Somewhere along the line the general public has gotten a couple of very erroneous ideas into their collective heads. One is that you cannot legally be fired if you are on medical leave; another is that as long as you have a doctor's note the employer MUST legally excuse the absence.

Neither is true.