Talmon Joseph
Talmon Joseph Smith is an economics reporter for The New York Times, based in New York. He covers nationwide macroeconomic developments, labor markets and the intersection of financial markets with pocketbook issues. Depending on the day, week or month, he may be covering breaking news related to key economic data, traveling across the country to write about a community that is representative of a broader economic trend, or staring into his laptop all day, making phone calls, working on an explanatory or investigative article. If something relates to the distribution of people, money and power, chances are it is of interest to him. Before joining Business, he worked as a staff editor in the Opinion section, editing columnists and regular contributors as well as commissioning guest essays from a variety of outside voices about economics, policy and culture. He graduated from Tufts University in 2016 and afterward worked as a visiting scholar at the N.Y.U. Journalism Institute. While in college, he completed an internship at a Washington-based nonpartisan think tank on campaign finance, tracking networks of moneyed influence and evaluating the economic arguments of corporate lobbyists engaged with both sides of the political aisle. He joined The Times in 2018 and was born and raised in New Orleans. Talmon makes a personal choice not to belong to a political party, and he does not involve himself with any organization that advocates on issues that he covers. He does not give political contributions or participate in political events or protests. He protects his sources and the information they provide him with as much care as possible. He works hard to be accurate, independent and honest with readers, even when the substance of his stories may point to uncomfortable realities. He makes efforts to understand issues from multiple angles. When he is formally interviewing people, he always identifies himself as a reporter for The Times.
73%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
86%
Examples:
- Example of ideological bias as it suggests that people who are out of work should be ashamed and responsible for their situation, rather than acknowledging systemic issues.
- Ideological bias
- Religious bias
Conflicts of Interest
69%
Examples:
- This is an example of ideological bias as it suggests that people who are out of work should be ashamed and responsible for their situation, rather than acknowledging systemic issues.
- This is an example of religious bias
Contradictions
85%
Examples:
- The article states that hiring has slowed in recent months, but layoffs remain near record lows. However, this statement is misleading as it implies that layoffs are not happening when in fact they are still occurring.
- The article states that the U.S labor market ended 2023 with a bang and gained more jobs than experts had expected, but this is not entirely accurate as the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent which means there were no new jobs added to the economy in December 2023.
- The Labor Department reported that employers added 216,000 jobs in December, beating economists' estimates by over 40,000 jobs. The unemployment rate also remained steady at 3.7%.
- The monthly employment report is projected to show that employers added 190,000 jobs in June. The labor market has maintained surprising vigor over the past year but as fewer jobs go unfilled and a growing number of people linger on unemployment insurance rosters, Federal Reserve officials have begun to watch for cracks.
Deceptions
60%
Examples:
- Employers added 303,000 jobs in March on a seasonally adjusted basis
- The article states that the U.S labor market ended 2023 with a bang and gained more jobs than experts had expected, but this is not entirely accurate as the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent which means there were no new jobs added to the economy in December 2023.
Recent Articles
Labor Market Slows Down: Nonfarm Payrolls Up by 206,000, Unemployment Rate at 4.1%, and Average Hourly Earnings Rise by 3.9%
Broke On: Friday, 05 July 2024The US labor market showed signs of a slowdown in June with nonfarm payrolls rising by 206,000 and the unemployment rate increasing to 4.1%. Government and health care dominated hiring, but temporary help fell significantly. Average hourly earnings climbed by 3.9%, but wage growth has been moderating since late 2021. The median time to find a job rose to 9.8 weeks, and the unemployment rate for Black workers increased to 6.3%. These reports come after the Federal Reserve signaled potential interest rate cuts due to economic growth concerns. 
June Jobs Report: 190,000 New Hires Expected as Labor Market Slows Down Amid Inflation and Interest Rate Concerns
Broke On: Friday, 05 July 2024The June jobs report, expected to show a decrease in hiring with approximately 190,000 new jobs added, signals labor market normalization as inflation cools and interest rates remain high. Despite low unemployment and optimism about its strength, concerns arise due to high inflation and ongoing rate hikes. Hiring rate has slowed significantly while layoff activity increases; first-time unemployment claims reached 238,000 last week. 
39 Months of Job Growth: US Economy Continues to Thrive Despite High Interest Rates and Inflation
Broke On: Friday, 15 March 2024The US economy is experiencing strong growth, with 303,000 jobs added in March and the unemployment rate falling to 3.8%. This marks the 39th month of job growth and employment levels are now more than three million greater than forecast by Congressional Budget Office before pandemic shock. Despite high interest rates, experts expect steady roll of commercial activity, growing employment, rising wages to coexist in healthy equilibrium. Inflation is expected to continue cooling but at slower pace previously thought. Federal Reserve foresees 3 rate cuts this year despite recent bump in inflation and some Fed officials considering another rate hike due to blowout jobs report and rising prices. 
303,000 Jobs Added in March: US Economy Continues Steady Job Growth
Broke On: Friday, 05 April 2024The US economy added 303,000 jobs in March and the unemployment rate fell to 3.8%, indicating steady job growth and a positive sign for the labor market. Healthcare was one of the sectors with significant job gains. 216,000 Jobs Added in December, But Unemployment Rate and Labor Force Participation Ratio Fall
Broke On: Friday, 05 January 2024The US economy added 216,000 jobs in December on a seasonally adjusted basis. However, the labor force participation rate and employment to population ratio both fell by an unusually large 0.3 percentage points. Despite this positive news, there are signs of a softening labor market as government spending may not be able to sustain job growth amid a weakening economy and business investment.
