Search/ad darling Google has discharged a "substantial number" of temporary and contract workers, reports the Associated Press.

Actual figures weren't revealed. But in November, sources claimed Google planned to lay off 10,000 "temps" or contract workers — people that are not officially considered full- or part-time employees, even if many served at Google for five or more years.

The layoffs were brought to light alongside a regulatory December 15 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Part of the document was kept confidential to protect "trade secrets," but much of the publicly-accessible data reveals information previously undisclosed.

According to the filing, Google has 24,400 employees, including 4300 interns, contractors and temps — a marked contrast to the "10,000" temps and contractors co-founder Sergey Brin claimed they had in October 2008.

Spokeswoman Jane Penner defended the disparity, arguing the 4300 figure is a "subset" of the 10,000 contractors Brin mentioned three months ago — a deflection to those that may claim that the difference between the two numbers represents the jobs Google cut. Penner did not elaborate on the actual amount of departures.

The SEC filing also reports Google plans to devote about 18% of annual expenses to research and development in each of the next two years. And its appetite for acquisitions is expected to remain consistent with the previous two years.