Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, in a HARQ supported client relaying wireless network, if the intended client subscriber station is able to decode the transmission from the base station, an allocated data zone otherwise allocated for relay transmission and acknowledgment zones in the uplink subframe can be used by another client station for uplink transmission. If the intended client subscriber station cannot decode the transmission from the base station but the relay station can, the relay station may use the allocated data zone in the uplink subframe in which to transmit a relay transmission, along with acknowledgment transmissions in the acknowledgment zones. If the relay station also cannot decode the base station transmission, the other client station may use the allocated data otherwise allocated for relay transmission and acknowledgment zones for uplink transmission.