Thanks all for the advice. Holiday is sorted now, I took the advice of one of my lecturers. He said to take the stance that this is not a holiday request form this is me extending the courtesy of letting you know that I will not be in work on these days. Fortunately, I found out yesterday that I have been accepted to a graduate programme with one of the big four so will be handing my notice in on Tuesday.

I have 2 questions that I would be grateful to have answered. I work for on of the large supermarket chains as a Checkouts Team Leader, this is a part time job whilst at University and I have been employed for the last 2 years. My first question relates to holidays, my family and I regularly i.e. annually, go to Florida for 4 weeks in the summer we usually alternate between going at the beginning of August and the end. I have been told by my line manager that I am not allowed to take for consecutive weeks of paid holiday as if I leave work on my return the company has no way of getting this money back. She went on to inform me that the company stance is employees must take 3 weeks in the summer and 2 weeks in the winter. Not over easter or the weeks leading to Christmas (getting time off for exams has been a battle when they fall in the week before Christmas) Is there any legal merit to this or am I able to take my holiday as I require? The second question is regarding sickness. Last week I was off work with suspected food poisoning, the symptons lasted approx 48 hours and I returned to work 48 hours following this. My first day back at work was Saturday 9th April, I have worked my usual days of Tuesday and Thursday this week and as yet I have not had a return to work interview. Is there any statutory instrument that gives a time constraint for a return to work to be completed? I am expecting to have a disciplinary over this absence due to having 4 absences in a 12 month period and would like to know about the RTWI so I can bring this up in the disc hearing. Any help that anyone can offer will be gratefully received.