Every non-compete is built from the same four components. Read them in this order.
How long the restriction lasts after the agreement ends. Six months is common. Two years is aggressive. Anything without an end date should stop you cold — a restriction with no expiry is asking you to give something up permanently.
Where the restriction applies. A specific city is narrow. A state is broad. "Worldwide" or "anywhere the company does business" is effectively unlimited, and for remote work that can mean everywhere.
What work you cannot do. Watch for the difference between being barred from a specific role and being barred from an entire industry. The second is far heavier than it looks on the page.
This is the one that matters most, and the one people skip. A clause naming three specific companies is manageable. A clause defining a competitor as "any business engaged in similar services" can cover most of your industry — and you will not find out how broadly it reads until you try to leave.
Whether the non-compete still applies if they end the agreement.
Many contracts bind you to the restriction regardless of who terminates. That means a client can end the relationship next month and you remain barred from similar work for the full restricted period, with no income from them and limited ability to replace it.
An exception for termination without cause is one of the most commonly granted changes, because it is hard to argue against and costs the other side very little.
This depends heavily on where you live and work, and the rules have been changing. Some states decline to enforce non-competes for most workers. Others enforce them when the restriction is considered reasonable in duration, geography, and scope. Federal rulemaking in this area has also shifted in recent years.
Two practical points regardless of your state. First, an unenforceable clause can still cost you real money and time to fight, so "it probably would not hold up" is thin protection. Second, whether a clause is enforceable is a legal question about your specific situation — it is worth asking a lawyer in your state rather than relying on a general answer.
Upload it and ask in plain English. Every answer cites the exact line it came from, so you can check the original wording yourself.
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