Work permit?

So I had a job at Old Navy, and I got a work permit from my school on November 20th, 2015 and it expired January 1st, 2016. The way it works is the length of the work permit depends on your grades. Now I had really god grades. I had all A's and a C. My friend had grades that weren't as good as mine, and his lasts for 8 months. Now, on January 1st, It was a friday and I went to go get my paycheck and when we were there one of the sales floor managers said that we were terminated from the system since our work permits expired, but they gave us no warning. the same friend I mentioned earlier got a text a week or two before his expired and it said to get it renewed. (I live in california btw) And my friend gabe said "its a law in califronia that if you get fired for a work permit invalidation without getting your week warning, then if you renew your certificate and there is availability then they have to take you back" there are still jobs open there and i was just wondering if what he said still applies. my 2 other friends who are in tis situation with me are gonna go talk to one of the sales floor managers on friday about what we can do. We really really want out job back, it was our first job and we didn't know this would happen and i want it back so badly