yeah that sounds a bit dodgy tbh, as by law your supposed to get them unless you waiver them for pay and thats only normally at the end of the year where you could sell them back. but who know's colleges are normally on the ball but all it takes is one HR muppet to change the law or at least change it in their interpretation.
when i was still working on the bins via an agency a couple of years ago they said the temp workers directive didnt apply to us, then that we would be left go at 11 weeks and come back after a few weeks, and then that they where exempt from it because of the nature of the work ?!
god knows what bullmuck they are spreading now but one thing i have learned over the years is agencies dont like paying anymore than they have to.