Pandemic Darlings The pandemic economy, in original documents
Home Court filings Bofa Ca Unemployment In re: Bank of America California Unemployment Benefits Litigation — S.D. Cal., No. 21-md-02992 Exhibit 2 — In re Bank of America California Unemployment Benefits Litigation (Dkt. 614-4, S.D. Cal. No. 3:21-md-02992)

Court filing

Exhibit 2 — In re Bank of America California Unemployment Benefits Litigation (Dkt. 614-4, S.D. Cal. No. 3:21-md-02992)

Filed January 8, 2026 in In re Bank of America California Unemployment Benefits Litigation; one of 1415 filings from this case.

Record facts

CourtU.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
Filed2026-01-08

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California · No. 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB · Doc. 614-4 · 2026-01-08 · Docket on CourtListener

Full text

Exhibit 2 
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43703 
Page 1 of 43

1
         UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
2
       SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
3
              SAN DIEGO DIVISION
                  -   -   -
4
IN RE:  BANK OF AMERICA   : CASE NO.
5
CALIFORNIA UNEMPLOYMENT   : 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB
6
BENEFITS LITIGATION       :
7
__________________________
8
9
10
11
               Oral deposition of JAY
12
          MINNUCCI, taken pursuant to Notice,
13
          held at Goodwin Proctor LLP, 3025
14
          John F. Kennedy Boulevard, 8th
15
          Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
16
          19104, beginning at approximately
17
          9:30 a.m., before Mary Hammond, a
18
          Certified Shorthand Reporter and
19
          Notary Public in the state of
20
          Pennsylvania, April 23, 2025.
21
22
23
JOB No. 7288941
24
PAGES 1 - 460
Page 1
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43704 
Page 2 of 43

1
A-P-P-E-A-R-A-N-C-E-S
2
3
  GOODWIN PROCTOR LLP
4
  BY:  MATTHEW L. RIFFEE, ESQUIRE (Pro Hac Vice)
5
  1900 N Street, NW
6
  Washington, DC  20036
7
  mriffee@goodwinlaw.com
8
  Attorneys for Bank of America, N.A.
9
10
  ALTSHULER BERZON LLP
11
  BY:  COLIN JONES, ESQUIRE
12
  177 Post Street
13
  Suite 300
14
  San Francisco, California  94108
  cjones@altshulerberzon.com
15
  Attorneys for Plaintiffs
16
17
  Also Present:  Marie MacCune, Esquire
18
19
  Present via Zoom:  Nghia Jones
20
                     Caroline Hunsicker
21
                     Joshua Swigart
22
                     Connie Chan
23
                     Ilana Platkiewicz
24
                     Andrew Verdun
Page 2
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43705 
Page 3 of 43

1
                  -   -   -
2
                  I-N-D-E-X
3
                  -   -   -
4
WITNESS:
5
JAY MINNUCCI
6
                    PAGE
7
BY MR. RIFFEE       9, 455
8
BY MR. JONES        453
9
10
11
12
                 E-X-H-I-B-I-T-S
13
NUMBER             DESCRIPTION                  PAGE
14
15
Exhibit 1   Jay Minnucci's Expert Report          21
16
            Dated 3/4/25
17
Exhibit 2   Jay Minnucci's Expert Report          22
18
            Dated 9/29/24
19
Exhibit 3   Jay Minnucci's Expert Report          23
20
            Dated 11/21/24
21
Exhibit 4   Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL_00118438   142
22
Exhibit 5   Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL2286        156
23
Exhibit 6   Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-00154700   162
24
            through BANA_EDD_MDL-00154708
Page 3
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43706 
Page 4 of 43

1
                EXHIBITS (Continued)
2
NUMBER              DESCRIPTION                  PAGE
3
4
Exhibit 7   Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-719115     166
5
Exhibit 8   Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-00014091   172
            through BANA_EDD_MDL-00014095
6
Exhibit 9   Employment Development Department    184
7
            EDD's Poor Planning and Ineffective
8
            Management Left It Unprepared to
9
            Assist Californians Unemployed by
            COVID-19 Shutdown
10
Exhibit 10  CONTACTABLE THE US CONTACT CENTER    203
11
            DECISION-MAKERS GUIDE 2021
12
Exhibit 11  OIG Oversight of the Unemployment    228
            Insurance Program
13
Exhibit 12  Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-00080294   238
14
            through BANA_EDD_MDL-00080352
15
Exhibit 13  Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-4198       270
16
Exhibit 14  Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-00060339   296
17
Exhibit 15  Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-00060337   300
            through BANA_EDD_MDL-00060338
18
Exhibit 16  Article Dated 2/15/22                319
19
Exhibit 17  Revisiting Schedule Adherence        323
20
            Article
21
Exhibit 18  Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-00060129   327
22
            through BANA_EDD_MDL-00060143
23
Exhibit 19  Bates Number BANA_EDD_MDL-00106092   353
24
            through BANA_EDD_MDL-00106094
Page 4
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43707 
Page 5 of 43

1
                EXHIBITS (Continued)
2
NUMBER              DESCRIPTION                  PAGE
3
4
Exhibit 20   Evaluating the Fit of the Erlang    426
5
             A Model in High Traffic Call
6
             Centers Article
7
Exhibit 21   What is Erlang, and Why Does It     431
8
             Matter? CX Today Article
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Page 5
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43708 
Page 6 of 43

1
                  -   -   -
2
            P-R-O-C-E-E-D-I-N-G-S
3
                  -   -   -
4
               (By agreement of counsel, the
5
          reading, signing, sealing,
6
          certification and filing are
7
          waived, and all objections as to
8
          the form of the question, are
9
          reserved until the time of trial.)
10
                  -   -   -
11
               THE VIDEOGRAPHER:  Stand by.
12
               Good morning.  We are going on
13
          the record at 9:30 a.m. Eastern
14
          Time, on April 23rd, 2025.
15
               Please note that the
16
          microphones are sensitive and may
17
          pick up whispering and private
18
          conversations.
19
               Please mute your phones at this
20
          time.  Audio and video recording
21
          will continue to take place, unless
22
          all parties agree to go off the
23
          record.
24
               This is Media Unit 1 of the
Page 6
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43709 
Page 7 of 43

1
          video-recorded deposition of
2
          Jay Minnucci, in the matter of In Re
3
          Bank of America California
4
          Unemployment Benefits Litigation
5
          filed in the United States District
6
          Court Southern District of
7
          California San Diego Division, Case
8
          Number 21-MD-02992-GPC-MSB.  The
9
          location of the deposition is
10
          Goodwin Proctor LLP, 3025 JFK
11
          Boulevard, 8th Floor, Philadelphia,
12
          PA 19104.
13
               My name is Frankie Matus,
14
          representing Veritext Legal
15
          Solutions, and I'm the videographer.
16
               The court reporter is Mary
17
          Hammond, also from the firm of
18
          Veritext Legal Solutions.
19
               I am not authorized to
20
          administer an oath.  I am not
21
          related to any party in this action,
22
          nor am I financially interested in
23
          the outcome.
24
               Counsel will now state their
Page 7
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43710 
Page 8 of 43

1
          appearances and affiliations for the
2
          record.
3
               MR. RIFFEE:  Matt Riffee from
4
          Goodwin Proctor here on behalf of
5
          Defendant, Bank of America.
6
               MS. MacCUNE:  Marie MacCune,
7
          Goodwin Proctor, also on behalf of
8
          Defendant, Bank of America.
9
               MR. JONES:  Colin Jones,
10
          Altshuler Berzon, on behalf of the
11
          Plaintiffs.
12
               MR. RIFFEE:  All right.
13
               Good morning.  Before we get --
14
               THE COURT REPORTER:  I'm
15
          sorry.
16
               MR. RIFFEE:  Okay.
17
               THE VIDEOGRAPHER:  Will the
18
          court reporter please swear in the
19
          witness.
20
               THE COURT REPORTER:  Please
21
          raise your right hand.
22
                  -   -   -
23
               JAY MINNUCCI, after having
24
          been first duly sworn, was examined
Page 8
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43711 
Page 9 of 43

1
          and testified as follows:
2
                  -   -   -
3
               THE WITNESS:  Yes.
4
               MR. RIFFEE:  Good morning.
5
               Before we get started, just
6
          like I had said, the transcripts
7
          will be kept as confidential, and
8
          the parties will designate the
9
          portions of the transcript that are
10
          confidential pursuant to the terms
11
          of our Protective Order.
12
                  -   -   -
13
              DIRECT EXAMINATION
14
                  -   -   -
15
BY MR. RIFFEE:
16
     Q.   Good morning.
17
          Can you please state your name for
18
the record?
19
     A.   Jay Minnucci.
20
     Q.   Okay.
21
          You've been deposed before,
22
correct?
23
     A.   Correct.
24
     Q.   How many times?
Page 9
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43712 
Page 10 of 43

1
     A.   I think about five, five or six.
2
     Q.   Okay.
3
          Were you serving as an expert in
4
all of those cases?
5
     A.   Yes.
6
     Q.   Okay.
7
          So I assume you're familiar with --
8
with this exercise and with the ground rules,
9
but we'll just go over a few to refresh.
10
          I'll be asking the questions today.
11
You're obligated to give complete truthful
12
answers.  I'll ask that you give audible
13
answers, so the court reporter can take it
14
down.
15
          You were sworn in earlier; do you
16
understand that you're under oath as if you
17
were in a court of law?
18
     A.   Correct.
19
     Q.   Okay.
20
          So your answer -- you understand
21
that your answers need to be truthful today?
22
     A.   Yes.
23
     Q.   Okay.
24
          Is there any reason why you're not
Page 10
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43713 
Page 11 of 43

1
able to provide truthful answers today?
2
     A.   No.
3
     Q.   Okay.
4
          If at any point today you don't
5
understand any of my questions, please let me
6
know, I'm happy to clarify that for you.
7
Just to that end, and just one -- or a couple
8
little terminology before we get started.
9
          You understand that the Bank of
10
America had several call centers that
11
serviced the EDD prepaid debit card program,
12
correct?
13
     A.   Correct.
14
     Q.   When I say the "main call center"
15
today or the -- the "servicing center" today,
16
can we agree that I'm referring to Bank of
17
America's general call center for prepaid
18
cards?
19
     A.   Yes, the general being of first in
20
line to receive the call from the IBR.
21
     Q.   Correct.  Okay.
22
          When I said the "Claims call
23
center," can we agree that I'm referring to
24
Bank of America's call center responsible for
Page 11
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43714 
Page 12 of 43

1
     Q.   Okay.
2
          In your work at -- at Service
3
Agility in consulting with clients do you
4
conduct forecasting for any of your clients
5
for the hiring or retention of FTEs?
6
     A.   Yeah, I do that very often for my
7
clients.
8
     Q.   Did you conduct any forecasting for
9
any of your clients during that March of 2020
10
through the end of 2020 time period?
11
               MR. JONES:  Objection.  Vague.
12
               THE WITNESS:  Yeah, I helped
13
          them with the planning out of
14
          staffing needs and what they may
15
          need, so that's not just simple
16
          forecasting.  There's a lot of
17
          factors that go into that.
18
               But the objective was to get
19
          them to the right numbers -- the
20
          right staffing numbers to be able to
21
          manage their incoming call volume.
22
BY MR. RIFFEE:
23
     Q.   How many clients would you say you
24
helped plan out staffing needs during that
Page 76
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43715 
Page 13 of 43

1
time period, March 2020 through the end of
2
2020?
3
     A.   So it would be the same group that
4
was -- that was part of every discussion.
5
The -- the details were all different, and
6
the amount of detail that I would need to go
7
into was different for each one, but it
8
was -- it was a discussion with everybody.
9
     Q.   Okay.
10
          Does -- do you -- in your work at
11
Service Agility consulting with your clients,
12
do you actually handle the -- the hiring of
13
any Customer Service Representatives for your
14
clients?
15
               MR. JONES:  Objection.  Vague.
16
               THE WITNESS:  No.
17
BY MR. RIFFEE:
18
     Q.   Were you ever responsible for
19
conducting background checks or setting up
20
work-from-home environments for -- for your
21
client's Customer Service Representatives?
22
               MR. JONES:  Objection.  Vague.
23
               THE WITNESS:  I'm sorry, which
24
          was the first one?
Page 77
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43716 
Page 14 of 43

Page 134
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43717 
Page 15 of 43

Page 135
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43718 
Page 16 of 43

Page 200
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43719 
Page 17 of 43

Page 201
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43720 
Page 18 of 43

Page 202
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43721 
Page 19 of 43

1
they'd probably have the data right at their
2
fingertips, which is, you know, just ongoing
3
results showing what they're ongoing yearly
4
call abandonment rate was, what their ASA
5
was, as well as other metrics as well.
6
     Q.   All right.
7
          But you don't know how many of
8
those call centers provided information prior
9
to the pandemic or during the pandemic for
10
2020?
11
               MR. JONES:  Objection.  Vague.
12
               THE WITNESS:  Yeah.
13
               Again, I don't know these
14
          specific people.  I just know people
15
          that do this work.  So, I -- you
16
          know, I'm fairly confident I know
17
          how they would have answered this.
18
BY MR. RIFFEE:
19
     Q.   When you do your consulting work
20
for your clients, do you assess their --
21
their ASA or their abandonment rates using
22
the mean average speed to answer or the call
23
abandonment rate from ContactBabel service?
24
               MR. JONES:  Objection.
Page 209
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43722 
Page 20 of 43

1
          Compound.  Vague.
2
               THE WITNESS:  I can.
3
               The first thing I'm going to
4
          compare them to is their own
5
          targets.  That's the one that's
6
          going to matter the most.
7
BY MR. RIFFEE:
8
     Q.   "Their targets" being the SLA or
9
the contractual requirement, correct?
10
     A.   In an internal call center, you
11
don't have a contractual obligation, but you
12
do still have a target, like, you know, they
13
all have targets.
14
          So the first thing I'm going to do
15
is compare them to what they say they want to
16
do because that's the most relevant.  When
17
questions are asked about, "how do we compare
18
with others, how does your target compare to
19
what others are doing," that's when I would
20
go to this and say, "Well, this is kind of
21
those sources," and say, "Well, here's -- you
22
know, "here's" -- "here's what I know."
23
     Q.   So the target for a -- a call
24
center, it could be an internal number, it
Page 210
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43723 
Page 21 of 43

1
          for identification.)
2
                  -   -   -
3
               (Whereupon, the document was
4
          handed to the witness.)
5
                  -   -   -
6
BY MR. RIFFEE:
7
     Q.   Do you recall reviewing this e-mail
8
in preparing your report?
9
     A.   Yes.
10
     Q.   Are you offering an opinion about
11
Bank of America's intent or state of mind in
12
making staffing decisions?
13
               MR. JONES:  Objection.  Calls
14
          for a legal conclusion.
15
               THE WITNESS:  I couldn't care
16
          less about a state of mind.  My
17
          interest here is what they do, was
18
          it in confidence, or was it
19
          deliberate or was it both.
20
               MR. RIFFEE:  Okay.
21
BY MR. RIFFEE:
22
     Q.   And the basis for your opinion that
23
Bank of America deliberately staffed or
24
reduced staffing in its call center, it's --
Page 354
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43724 
Page 22 of 43

Page 355
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43725 
Page 23 of 43

Page 356
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43726 
Page 24 of 43

Page 398
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43727 
Page 25 of 43

Page 399
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43728 
Page 26 of 43

Page 405
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43729 
Page 27 of 43

1
results are used to calculate Column (E)?
2
     A.   Okay.
3
          So do you want me to start with
4
Appendix H then; is that --
5
     Q.   Sure.
6
     A.   Okay.
7
          So Appendix H is based on data from
8
other clients that I have.  So this is
9
without the actual data from your bank or
10
without data from an actual client, the --
11
the next best thing that we can do is use
12
data from other clients.  So that's what this
13
is.
14
          I've had clients that have done the
15
process that I described that would have been
16
done for the Bank had we had the data.
17
          So they go through that process,
18
and the process requires identifying the
19
abandoned calls for a given time period, and,
20
then, looking at those phone numbers with
21
those abandoned calls, and, then, looking out
22
in the future to determine did that phone
23
number call back or not.  If it did, we call
24
it a recall.  If they didn't, then, they
Page 407
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43730 
Page 28 of 43

1
didn't recall.
2
          So I've had other clients do that
3
work, and what we did was we mapped the
4
abandonment range against the recall rates
5
that they found, and, then, provide a
6
distinct demand column at the end because
7
that's what we're using.  It's just one line
8
is the recall rate.  We're actually
9
calculating a recall rate, and, then, simply
10
taking one from it.
11
     Q.   Okay.
12
          How many data points are you using
13
in your regression here in Appendix H?
14
     A.   So we're going out -- we're
15
probably looking at 30 to 60 days worth of
16
data each for -- my estimate is probably
17
about eight clients that we did this for, so
18
however many data points that adds up to.
19
          And, of course, their data points
20
can -- can fall in these different ranges.
21
I've got six different ranges, so they're --
22
they're falling somewhere within those
23
ranges.
24
     Q.   Okay.
Page 408
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43731 
Page 29 of 43

1
          So eight different clients within
2
these ranges -- within these ranges.
3
          Is there a client that you have
4
that falls within each of these ranges?
5
     A.   Oh I think every one of them had.
6
     Q.   Okay.
7
     A.   I shouldn't say that.  I would
8
suspect most of them.  There may have been
9
one or two that missed a range here or there,
10
that's possible.
11
     Q.   Okay.
12
          There's -- but there's six
13
abandonment ranges here represented --
14
     A.   Right.
15
     Q.   -- in Appendix H, right?
16
     A.   Yes.
17
     Q.   And you said you think there were
18
eight clients that fall within these
19
abandonment ranges.
20
          So, within each range, is it your
21
testimony that there's one to two clients
22
that fall into each range?
23
               MR. JONES:  Objection.
24
          Mischaracterizes testimony.
Page 409
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43732 
Page 30 of 43

1
               THE WITNESS:  No.
2
               What there likely is in all of
3
          these ranges is if not all,
4
          certainly eight represented --
5
          certainly close to at 7, and, then,
6
          they can be represented multiple
7
          times.
8
               So to provide an example, if
9
          you look at the bottom range from 25
10
          to 30, there may be data points in
11
          there from eight different clients,
12
          but one of those clients may have 12
13
          data points in there, and another
14
          one may have 17 and another one may
15
          have four.
16
               MR. RIFFEE:  Okay.
17
BY MR. RIFFEE:
18
     Q.   And the data points for each client
19
that -- you said that represents a 30 to
20
60-day period?
21
     A.   Yes, mm-humm.
22
     Q.   Do you believe that these -- the
23
data points here, that they're enough data to
24
give you confidence in your results?
Page 410
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43733 
Page 31 of 43

1
     A.   Yeah.  I actually do this work.  I
2
sell -- I sold consulting projects where
3
people have come to me and said, "We have
4
this problem.  We don't know what distinct
5
demand is," you know, "we don't know how to
6
get their our data," or don't think that they
7
can get their data.
8
          When I explained to them that I
9
have this, we have used this, that's been the
10
job.  I've charged for that.  And I've had
11
very satisfied clients as -- as a result of
12
using this.  It greatly improved their
13
workforce planning process.
14
     Q.   Are you able to say which clients
15
these data points come from?
16
     A.   No.
17
     Q.   What industries are these eight
18
clients in?
19
     A.   Various.
20
     Q.   Okay.
21
          Sitting here today, what industries
22
do you recall each of them are in?
23
     A.   So there's, again, more property
24
and casualty, more health insurance.  There
Page 411
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43734 
Page 32 of 43

1
years.
2
          You don't -- you have to realize
3
the numbers that you see here are bad.  You
4
just don't run into a lot of clients that are
5
having days with a 26-percent abandon rate as
6
a regular thing.
7
     Q.   Mm-humm.
8
     A.   Maybe occasionally here and there,
9
but it doesn't happen as a regular thing.  So
10
it -- it's just not something that comes up
11
often in a consultant's work, because it just
12
doesn't happen out there in the field very
13
often, so it takes a while to -- to actually
14
get some clients that fall into these
15
categories.
16
     Q.   Okay.
17
          So you said you began collecting
18
this data -- I think you said going back to
19
2005, and it covered about eight years.
20
          So is this all data from about to
21
2005 or 2018 or something more recent?
22
     A.   No, that'd be -- that would be
23
about right.  I don't think I've added to it.
24
However, I've used it.  I've used it during
Page 413
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43735 
Page 33 of 43

1
that time, and I've used it past that and
2
into COVID.  I don't think I've used it in
3
the last year or year and a half, but, you
4
know, I've used -- I've used this up until at
5
least 2022, if not later.
6
     Q.   Okay.
7
          Did any of these eight clients
8
experience call volume increases or surges
9
during these three 30 to 60-day periods
10
similar to the 10, 15, 20, 30 X surges that
11
Bank of America experienced during the --
12
during the pandemic?
13
               MR. JONES:  Objection.  Vague.
14
               THE WITNESS:  You know, so
15
          they're my clients, so I've
16
          answered your question before,
17
          beside which I don't know that it
18
          would matter if it was volume surge
19
          or not.  We're interested in
20
          abandonment and recall rates.
21
BY MR. RIFFEE:
22
     Q.   You don't think it would matter,
23
the level of the volume surge, in terms of
24
the -- the impact on the abandonment rate?
Page 414
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43736 
Page 34 of 43

1
     A.   Well, it will cause -- it will
2
potentially cause an increase in abandonment,
3
but at that point we're simply taking data
4
points out.  We're looking at abandonment
5
ranges and we're comparing them to recall
6
rates.  Whether the -- the abandonment was
7
caused by volume surge or people left the
8
organization is immaterial to the analysis.
9
     Q.   Did any of your clients -- any of
10
these eight clients experience an abandonment
11
rate above the ranges here, the 25.01 to
12
30-percent range?
13
     A.   So I -- that is possible, but it --
14
it's not on here because there weren't enough
15
of them.  So, you know, was there two or
16
three incidences or four or five, that's
17
possible, but I wouldn't have included that
18
in the data.  In this case, it would have to
19
be more than that.
20
     Q.   Okay.
21
          How many data points did you
22
require to -- or to include or for -- for
23
this Appendix H, how -- how many data points
24
would be within each abandonment range
Page 415
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43737 
Page 35 of 43

1
individual calls about a power outage, and
2
they're unable to reach but their power gets
3
turned back on, or they realize that someone
4
else is reporting an outage, so they don't
5
need to call again, did you assess whether
6
that may affect a recall rate for that type
7
of call center?
8
     A.   No.
9
          Again, no reason to do that.
10
Everything's in the data.
11
     Q.   Did you attempt to assess how the
12
differences between various types of call
13
centers or purposes of calls might impact the
14
recall rate, and how that might differ from
15
the recall rate for someone attempting to
16
submit or ask questions about an unauthorized
17
transaction claim?
18
     A.   No.
19
          What I know is despite the fact
20
that it's different industries, the recall
21
rates really don't change all that much
22
surprisingly.  And, then, having used this
23
for other clients and seeing that it's worked
24
well for them, you know, I know that it's
Page 419
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43738 
Page 36 of 43

1
certainly good enough to be using for
2
workforce planning purposes and provides a
3
substantial improvement over using just calls
4
offered or just calls answered, which, by the
5
way, both of them inherent to them have a
6
recall rate associated with them.
7
          Calls offered assumes a
8
zero-percent recall rate.  Calls answered
9
assumes a 100-percent recall rate, and we
10
know both of those numbers are wrong.
11
     Q.   Based on Appendix H and the ranges
12
that you provided, the number of these eight
13
clients had periods where their -- where
14
their abandonment rate exceeded the
15
6.1-percent average in the ContactBabel
16
survey, right?
17
     A.   Oh, sure, yeah.
18
          In order to get data in those
19
ranges, yeah.
20
     Q.   Is it your opinion that those call
21
centers, your -- your former clients, were in
22
violation of industry best practices during
23
those periods?
24
     A.   Violation of industry best
Page 420
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43739 
Page 37 of 43

1
BY MR. RIFFEE:
2
     Q.   And did you review the Bank's --
3
the actual calls received by the Bank to
4
determine whether or not that issue was --
5
was offset by other factors?
6
               MR. JONES:  Objection.  Vague.
7
BY MR. RIFFEE:
8
     Q.   That issue with the Erlang-C
9
formula that's offset by other factors.
10
     A.   I -- I -- I just -- I just know
11
that it's offset by other factors, whether
12
it's the Bank or -- or any other call center.
13
     Q.   Have you advised any of your
14
clients to use an Erlang-C formula?
15
     A.   Absolutely.  It's -- it's almost --
16
it really is assumed -- I don't have to say
17
it, if they're using a workforce management
18
system, they're -- they're using it, or a
19
slightly modified version of it.
20
          If they're using a calculator, it's
21
Erlang-C.  If they're using an add-in to
22
Excel, it's Erlang-C.  It is the standard
23
beyond question in -- in any call center that
24
does this type of work.  It's a few smaller
Page 440
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43740 
Page 38 of 43

Page 449
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43741 
Page 39 of 43

Page 450
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43742 
Page 40 of 43

Page 451
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43743 
Page 41 of 43

Page 452
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43744 
Page 42 of 43

1
                  -   -   -
2
          C-E-R-T-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N
3
                  -   -   -
4
               I hereby certify that the
5
          witness was duly sworn in for this
6
          deposition matter by the Court
7
          Reporter.
8
9
10
11
               <%1471,Signature%>
12
               Mary Hammond
13
               April 23, 2025
14
15
               (The foregoing certification of
16
          this transcript does not apply to
17
          any reproduction of the same by any
18
          means, unless under the direct
19
          control and/or supervision of the
20
          Certified Shorthand Reporter.)
21
22
23
24
Page 458
Veritext Legal Solutions
Calendar-CA@veritext.com 866-299-5127
Case 3:21-md-02992-GPC-MSB     Document 614-4     Filed 01/08/26     PageID.43745 
Page 43 of 43

File and source

File
gov.uscourts.casd.709615.614.4.pdf
Size
208,338 bytes
SHA-256
2c2811bb054ef34f2e7a1d8d348117110dcffc35b42fde4a580ae32c80b623c1
Our copy
gov.uscourts.casd.709615.614.4.pdf
Original
PACER (login required)
Back to top