It probably varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but in many cases a non-compete agreement is between the employer and the employee. Meaning that you can't

It probably varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but in many cases a non-compete agreement is between the employer and the employee. Meaning that you can't quit one company to go work for a competitor. Most of the time the reasoning is because you may know trade secrets that you then may share with the company's competitor, which may be why they hired you away. Sometimes these agreements hold up in court and sometimes not. A non-compete agreement between your employer and another company without your consent or input will likely not hold up in court and could be illegal depending on local laws.