Have not worked in 4 weeks, anything to make them work me?

I have worked for this company since July of 2000, and I have been there the second longest, if not the longest, and I have not been on the schedule for the past FOUR weeks. Other employees have worked 10-35 hours a week. Most of these employees have not been there half as long as I have. Plus some of the "new" employees are "friends" with the store manager, and they get more hours then me? Is there any LEGAL way they can not work me in the past four weeks. The scheduling problem has been going on for the past 2 months, and then i didnt get any hours one week, i let it slide, asked the store manager to put more hours and still didnt...Is this a legal way of termination or a layoff, because i didnt get any oral, or written firing or lay-off. Please reply ASAP.
Thanks