I was recently terminated, and a two-year non-compete agreement was signed by myself at the time of employment. I cleaned houses. Now I'm working for another individual. Two of the previous companies customers found out and now want to hire this individual so that I can clean their houses. Can I do this and remain loyal to the non-compete agreement.

If the customers are contacting you, wanting specifically you to clean their home (and not caring which company you are with now) then I think your OK, your not giving your new employer information with which to contact customers from your old company.

Though, you might want to read this agreement carefully (if you have a copy) and check.

Rules vary by states. Some states are "right to work" states. Non-compete agreements are very difficult to enforce, particularly when you are involuntarily terminated. A company cannot tell you that you cannot work in your chosen field of work.

The company is going to have to prove that you are using proprietary data (customer lists, relatonships, intellectual property, etc.) to compete with them. It's a battle that it will cost them to win. So unless you are a serious threat to them, they are not likely to want to fight it. At best they may get a "cease and desist" order against you.

If the customers come to you, then the company has a shaky case indeed.

Of course, if this is a common problem for the company, then they may go out of their way to procecute just to make an example out of someone.