If your employment is terminated for any reason your company/school is required by law to provide you with a letter of release. If you get fired and your employer wants to get vindictive, he might try to delay or withhold this. In such a case, you should contact your local branch of SAFEA who will force your employer to provide you with the required documentation. You can use these documents to transfer your Residence Permit to a new employer. This can all be done without leaving China. 

Anonymous,

If you get fired than forget about the China Foreign Teacher's Union (CFTU ) helping you even before the recruiter-hackers made a mockery of that cherished organization.

Before they were disbanded by the recruiter-hackers, the CFTU was a strong advocate of low salaries in order to maintain employment. I remember an article on CleverChinaCheaters.com where their spokesman said "When negotiating for a job, ask the employer what they're offering. 16,000? Tell him to cut it in half. 8,000? Tell him to cut it in half again. 4,000 RMB/mth is the maximum any teacher should be earning if they want to go to China Foreign Teacher Heaven (CFTH). The less the better. It encourages humility and cuts down on profanity and high-living. Employers want good, simple folk working for them. Simple of thought, light of wallet, right of deed. That's the CFTU way."

In those days, if someone was fired, it was considered tantamount to desertion and cowardice. Members would face a court-martial and likely a firing squad. It's like Jalen Rose always says "Don't get fired." The same system today is used to keep Wumaos working hard on forums. 

usually when you get fired u are ou ofa job