Matt Cutts was a guest on This Week in Google yesterday, and he was asked specifically about his current status at Google.  He has been on an extended leave from Google for over a year.

When Leo Laporte was introducing his guests, he asks “Can I say formerly of Google yet?”  Matt Cutts replied “No, no, I am still at Google, on leave.”

He was also asked to clarify whether he was on leave from Google or on leave from Alphabet, and he says he is still on the Google side of things.

He also commented later in the show about posting on Google’s internal Google+ for employees, so he is still involved with Google in some capacity and he does post Google news to Twitter and Google+.

He also said that “my leave could last through the end of the year still.”  Does this mean he could return before the end of the leave?  Well, the comment does seem to leave that open as a possibility.  He also adds that he doesn’t get paid by Google, but they do pay for his health insurance still.

Many have been waiting to see if/when Matt would be returning to Google or not after his leave and whether he would return to search quality or move to another area within Google.  There have been other members of Google who have had a higher presence in the webmaster community since his leave began, including both Gary Illyes and John Mueller.