Fired, 7 Months After Incident Happened. Do I Have Any Rights?

I was recently let go from my job due to an incident that occurred last June. At the time, I thought the issue had been resolved. The person involved had asked for an apology, which I gave, and there hadn’t been any problems since. However, after spending some time with another senior manager over the weekend and having a few drinks, the story was shared, and it seemed like it was exaggerated from what I was originally told. I was immediately placed on administrative leave while HR conducted an investigation, and after 10 days, I was fired.

I’m wondering if I have any rights or options moving forward. I’ve been with the company for almost three years, I’m well-liked, and I’ve never had any issues or disciplinary problems. I’ve always been a trusted member of my team, and I truly believe I was in line for a promotion this year. So, this situation completely blindsided me. To make matters worse, my direct state director wasn’t even informed about my leave, and I was terminated without any warning.

Since being put on leave, I haven’t heard anything about the issue, and honestly, I feel really let down by how everything was handled. It’s been difficult and depressing, and I just want to know what I can do next.