Legal Question in Employment Law in California

If you have a non compete agreement they can sue you and other company's for breach. If you don't, then they can't 'legally' stop other companies, but there is always an 'old boys network' they can use under the table and you'll never know. If they were foolish enough to make improper threats or other action that prevented you from working, then technically you might have grounds for legal action. You would have to "prove" your case, and speculation is not proof. You would have to weigh the risks and costs of such legal action against simply finding other work and moving on in life.