A method and apparatus are provided for receiving a Scheduling Assignment (SA) by a User Equipment (UE) in a communication system in which a base station transmits the SA including at least one Information Element (IE). The method includes receiving the SA; identifying if a first IE included in the received SA is set with a first predetermined value and at least one bit in a second IE included in the received SA is set with a second predetermined value; and performing an action corresponding to a semi-persistent scheduling, if the first IE included in the received SA is set with the first predetermined value and the at least one bit in the second IE included in the received SA is set with the second predetermined value.