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Microsoft to cut jobs in Ohio

The software giant notifies employees who work on its Solomon products that it's closing the facility they work at and eliminating some of their positions.

Alorie Gilbert Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Alorie Gilbert
writes about software, spy chips and the high-tech workplace.
Alorie Gilbert

Microsoft on Thursday notified 177 employees in its Findlay, Ohio, offices that it's closing the facility and eliminating some of their positions, a company executive has confirmed. The group works mainly on developing and providing customer support for Microsoft's Solomon product line, a set of business accounting applications the company gained when it bought Great Plains Software in 2001.

The closing of the office is part of Microsoft's move to outsource development and customer support for the Solomon products, in use at some 13,000 companies, said Tami Reller, vice president of strategy and marketing in Microsoft's business solutions unit. The work will be outsourced to Plumbline Solutions, a software company in the area. Many of the affected workers will be offered jobs in other Microsoft locations or with Plumbline, she said. News of the planned layoffs came on the same day that Microsoft announced it was reshuffling its executive lineup in an effort to show renewed commitment to its business solutions unit, which includes Solomon and other products acquired from Great Plains.