Letter: Till the pips squeak

Sir: The idea of allowing employees to choose their own dates for their public holidays (letter, 2 January) does not mean that they will be able to take them when they want them. More and more employees are finding it increasingly difficult to take their normal leave when they would most like to do so, and are also liable to be penalised if they wish to "carry over" any unused days.

I work for one of the largest employers in the UK and we have had some of our traditional holidays turned into what are now called "privilege days" and added to our annual leave. Most of us assume the name was arrived at because we are privileged if we can take the days off applied for. I seem to remember that the computer age was going to see an increase in people's leisure time but it seems that today's employers see it as a tool to squeeze every last second of every last day from people.

MARK BENTLEY

High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire