Microsoft Plans To Boost Head Count In Redmond

The company cautioned that the development proposal should not be taken as an indicator of how many jobs it plans to add in the region over the next two decades.

"No one can therefore say that growth is guaranteed, but certainly if we have the kind of success that enables us to fill every one of these additional offices, then I think we and this entire region will be excited about that and will benefit from it," said Brad Smith, Microsoft's senior vice president and general counsel.

As of June 30, 2004, Microsoft had about 28,000 employees in the Puget Sound region, and about 57,000 worldwide. The company has said it plans to hire between 6,000 and 7,000 workers worldwide during its fiscal year that ends next June, with about half of those hires in and around Seattle.

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