Unless you had a bona fide employment contract or were working under a CBA in which first rehire rights were guaranteed, it's not true. There is no wage and hour law that requires the employer offer you first shot.
Let me check my source tonight to see what, if any, the laws are in Ohio regarding how many days after the end of the pay period employees must be paid. Ohio wage and hour/wage payment laws are pretty nonexistent.
The jurisdiction IS applicable and we HAVE to know what state you worked in, because the laws regarding deductions from pay are state-specific.
And what was the amount supposed to be for?
It was illegal when they first did it. Looks like you may have to file a civil suit though; either that or a wage claim with the federal DOL.
http://www.does.dc.gov/does/cwp/view,a,1234,q,539416.asp
It's just "supposedly" until you actually get a notice of the suit being filed. At that point, get an attorney. Anybody can sue anybody for anything, if one can find an attorney to take the case; the problem is prevailing.