Companion bills working their way through the West Virginia Senate would make major changes in jobless benefits and what you need to do to keep them. The changes could more than halve the amount of time someone could get an unemployment check. A half-a-percent rise in unemployment would add a week more of benefits to a point. Currently, unemployment can run as long as 26 weeks. If this bill were law now, it would be 12 weeks and no matter how high the unemployment rate got, it would never exceed 20 weeks. Another bill would add requirements for workers to prove they are seeking a job, but would also allow benefits to continue for someone doing part-time work.