Can an acquiring company infringe on my right to seek employment from the prior owner of the acquired company.

No, Company B is not infringing on your rights. Company B is asserting its rights under the contract for the acquisition of Company A. Whether the contractual provision you describe restricting the solicitation of the acquired company's ex-employees is enforceable is another question, but it is not a question you would have standing to raise since you are not a party to the contract. You should consult with an attorney to discuss the particulars of your matter and for any specific legal advice.

The owner of Company C cannot solicit employees of Company B. However, once you got laid off you could be eligible for hiring by Company C. It depends upon the non-solicitation language in the buyout agreement. Moreover, while C cannot solicit you for a job, you can probably solicit C for employment. If C is advertising for employees you can certainly apply.

The response given is not intended to create, nor does it create an ongoing duty to respond to questions. The response does not form an attorney-client relationship, nor is it intended to be anything other than the educated opinion of the author. It should not be relied upon as legal advice. The response given is based upon the limited facts provided by the person asking the question. To the extent additional or different facts exist, the response might possibly change.