Thanks for your help, ladies.

I am very annoyed - and getting more so as the morning goes on! Mainly because they didn't make it clear originally - I would have had no problem in taking the leave, had I had enough notice.

I do get paid (3 weeks now and 3 weeks once I have been back for 3 months!), so I'm not sure where I stand legally with that.

I have now spoken with an HR manager, who assures me this is company policy. I have let her know that I am not happy with not being informed and it not being clear in the documentation, so I would like my leave accrual to remain. I am waiting on her to get back to me on this. If I don't get a satisfactory answer, I will take it further.

I had come in this morning with the intention to hand things over nicely, as complete as possible, the way I have always left things when I leave from work, but this crap is making me feel like, why should I bother. May as well just do what everyone else does and leave it a mess for others to sort out. Lack of respect for me, means I have no respect for this place. Am even considering whether I bother coming in the next two days or just take that annual leave that I am owed.